Rubio Defends White House Media Ban, Says Outlets Remain Unrestricted Elsewhere
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration's ban on CNN, MSNBC and Politico from White House press facilities does not prevent the outlets from covering the president, while the networks have filed a lawsuit alleging constitutional violations.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NBC's "TODAY" program that the Trump administration's decision to bar CNN, MSNBC and Politico from White House press facilities does not amount to shutting down the outlets or arresting journalists. "We’re not closing CNN," he said, adding that the ban simply prevents the three organizations from having a desk inside the White House building.
Rubio explained that President Trump believes the outlets have shown bias against his administration and therefore should not be embedded in the White House, though they may still cover the president from elsewhere. "What he is arguing is, why should I have these people, what right do they have to be embedded in this building? They can cover the White House. They just can’t have a desk there," he said.
The three media companies filed a lawsuit on Monday, claiming the ban violates their due-process and First Amendment rights by retaliating against protected newsgathering and speech. Major television networks have also declined to provide pool coverage of the president following the ban, though pool coverage of other officials, including Rubio, continues. When asked if the pool arrangement would change, Rubio said no discussions have taken place.