White House Blocks Politico from Air Force One for Trump Rally
White House denies Politico access to Air Force One for Trump’s Nebraska rally, citing prior bans.
2 min read
The White House has barred Politico from accessing Air Force One to cover President Donald Trump’s rally in Nebraska, following a prior ban on CNN. This marks the latest in a series of exclusions from the presidential press pool, as the administration continues to limit media access during high-profile events.
Media Access Tensions Escalate
Politico was scheduled to be the primary print pooler on the plane, but was blocked from flying on Air Force One by the administration. The White House was unable to find a replacement for the outlet, leaving the Washington Post as the secondary print pooler. According to CBS producer Josh Gross, the TV networks continue to represent the press pool during out-of-town travel. The Washington Post correspondent Katherine Doyle noted that the White House has blocked Politico from traveling on Air Force One, and that no primary print pooler has been designated for the trip.
Outlets Unite in Boycott
According to CNN, other outlets in the White House print pool rotation have uniformly declined to take Politico’s seat and associated print pool duties, which include sending notes with updates on the President’s movements to the rest of the media. This move is seen as a show of solidarity with Politico, which has been barred from accessing the White House and Air Force One in recent months.
Legal Battle Continues
This comes after Trump blocked CNN from accessing Air Force One several times since attempting to ban the CNN, MS Now, and Politico from accessing the White House. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly granted a temporary restraining order reinstating their access to the White House grounds after the three outlets sued. The outlets are now seeking a preliminary injunction to extend their access to the White House until the case is resolved, as well as restoration of their access to the President on Air Force One.
Kelly’s temporary restraining order is set to expire if he does not grant an injunction or extension of the TRO during a hearing this Thursday. The Trump Administration is expected to quickly appeal Kelly’s ruling if he hands the outlets a win.
Source: The Gateway Pundit
