The Trump administration allowed CNN to resume its TV pool coverage duties Friday, capping a whirlwind week of restrictions being imposed and lifted after President Donald Trump banned the network, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.

CNN and the other four networks that decide the daily rotation of White House pool coverage — ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC — had suspended their TV coverage of Trump after his administration removed CNN from its assigned duties Monday. But the pool appeared to be reactivated as of Friday morning, with CBS set to be the primary TV pooler for the day.

CNN is scheduled to be the pool for Trump’s visit later Friday to the National Archives in Washington with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The network has been credentialed for the event.

After Trump banned MS NOW, CNN and Politico from White House grounds, citing what he described as unfair coverage, the outlets sued to have their access restored, arguing the ban violated their due process rights and the First Amendment.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the White House early Thursday to temporarily restore the outlets’ access as litigation continues. Still, several journalists were intermittently blocked throughout the day despite the ruling.

Hours after the order, the White House allowed some MS NOW, CNN and Politico journalists to enter the building but blocked others and confiscated their hard passes. After the outlets filed a notice of noncompliance to the court, the White House restored the journalists’ access.

MS NOW, CNN and Politico journalists were allowed to enter the White House on Friday morning, after some MS NOW and CNN reporters were denied access to Trump’s state dinner with Xi the night before. MS NOW had requested credentials for the event but never received a response.

When MS NOW White House reporter Laura Barrón-López asked why she was being turned away from the event, a White House staffer told her to “talk to Steven,” seemingly referring to White House communications director Steven Cheung.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

The post White House allows CNN back into TV pool after blocking some journalists hours earlier appeared first on MS NOW.

Author: Source Author

From MS Now.