Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

CNN v. Trump

CNN v. Trump was a short-lived 2018 civil lawsuit filed by Cable News Network and its chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta against President Donald Trump, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and other officials, contesting the revocation of Acosta's "hard pass" granting routine access to White House grounds and briefings.^[1] The dispute originated during a November 7, 2018, post-election press conference where Acosta persistently questioned Trump on immigration policy and a migrant caravan, refused to relinquish the microphone after his turn, and made physical contact with a White House intern attempting to retrieve it, prompting the administration to suspend his credentials citing decorum violations and disruptive conduct.^[2]^[3] CNN's complaint alleged the action infringed Acosta's First Amendment right to access newsgathering sites and Fifth Amendment due process protections, claiming it constituted viewpoint-based retaliation amid the network's critical coverage of the administration.^[4] On November 16, U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly, a Trump appointee, issued a temporary restraining order restoring Acosta's pass, determining that the plaintiffs demonstrated a likelihood of success on the due process claim due to the absence of adequate pre-deprivation notice or hearing, while deferring fuller First Amendment analysis.^[3]^[5] The White House promptly reinstated the credentials on November 19 under a revised policy formalizing rules for microphone handling and question limits at events, after which CNN voluntarily dismissed the suit without prejudice, effectively resolving the matter.^[6] The episode underscored ongoing frictions between the Trump White House and mainstream media outlets over press conduct, access privileges traditionally managed as discretionary executive prerogatives, and the judiciary's role in enforcing procedural safeguards for journalists' practical access to government proceedings.^[7]

Prelude to the Dispute

Jim Acosta's Reporting Style and Prior Interactions

Jim Acosta, CNN's chief White House correspondent, developed a reputation for persistent and often adversarial questioning of Trump administration officials, frequently focusing on topics such as alleged Russian election interference and immigration enforcement. In February 2017, during a press briefing, Acosta publicly criticized the administration for allegedly prioritizing questions from conservative outlets while avoiding scrutiny over contacts between Trump associates and Russian entities, stating that "the fix is in" and the president sought to evade critical inquiries.^[8] This incident exemplified a pattern where Acosta pressed spokespeople at length, sometimes extending beyond the typical one-question limit, which administration officials viewed as disruptive to orderly proceedings.^[9] Further tensions arose in August 2017 during a briefing with senior policy adviser Stephen Miller, where Acosta challenged proposed immigration restrictions by reciting lines from "The New Colossus," the poem inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, to argue against limits on legal immigration from certain countries. Miller countered by accusing Acosta of revealing a "cosmopolitan bias to a shocking degree," highlighting perceptions among conservatives that such interventions blurred the line between reporting and advocacy.^[10] Similar exchanges occurred throughout 2017 and into 2018, including Acosta's on-air critiques of Trump's past promotion of conspiracy theories like birtherism, which he labeled as foundational to the president's rhetoric.^[11] These interactions contributed to a broader narrative among Trump supporters that Acosta's approach prioritized narrative-driven confrontation over neutral fact-seeking. Empirical analyses of media coverage underscored the administration's frustrations with outlets like CNN. A Shorenstein Center study at Harvard Kennedy School examined reporting in Trump's first 100 days and found that 93% of CNN's stories about the president carried a negative tone, far exceeding coverage of prior administrations such as Barack Obama's 41% negativity or George W. Bush's 57%.^[12]^[13] Such disproportionate framing, documented across multiple outlets, fueled claims of institutional bias, with conservatives arguing it reflected a causal dynamic where media hostility elicited reciprocal pushback rather than isolated animosity. President Trump amplified these perceptions through repeated public denunciations of CNN as "fake news," beginning notably in a January 11, 2017, press conference where he dismissed the network's reporting on intelligence dossiers linking his campaign to Russia, refusing to take a question from its reporter and declaring, "You are fake news."^[14] Trump extended this critique to Acosta personally in subsequent rallies and statements, portraying his questioning as emblematic of partisan journalism that sought to undermine rather than inform. This pre-existing acrimony positioned the White House's actions as a culmination of ongoing clashes, rooted in what the administration described as unprofessional conduct amid a media environment skewed against it.^[15]

The November 7, 2018 Press Conference

On November 7, 2018, President Donald Trump convened a press conference in the White House East Room to address the midterm election outcomes from the prior day. Trump characterized the Republican results as a "tremendous victory," emphasizing net gains of at least two Senate seats—the largest for the president's party since 1980—and successes in key governorship races, such as in Florida and Georgia, while acknowledging the Democrats' capture of the House. He attributed the outcomes to his extensive campaigning, claiming it had averted a predicted "blue wave."^[16] CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta was recognized for a question during the session. Acosta first asked whether Trump was concerned that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election might prolong beyond the midterms and hinder his agenda; Trump rejected the premise, calling the probe a "hoax" that "should have been ended long ago" and labeling the query "stupid." Acosta then immediately followed up without yielding the floor, pressing Trump on his recent description of himself as a "nationalist" and whether it equated to racial connotations, as well as Trump's portrayal of a migrant caravan as an "invasion." Trump deemed the nationalism question "racist," defended his rhetoric on immigration, and directed Acosta to "put down the mic," accusing him of rudeness and interrupting the proceedings.^[16]^[17] As Acosta continued holding the microphone and posing additional queries despite Trump's signal to conclude, a White House intern approached to retrieve it. Video recordings capture Acosta extending his arm to retain the device while the intern reached for it, resulting in incidental contact between Acosta's arm and the intern's body; Acosta stated "pardon me, ma'am" during the exchange. Trump then remarked, "That's enough. Thank you," and proceeded to the next questioner, later referring to Acosta as a "rude, terrible person" and CNN as "fake news." The episode involved Acosta issuing multiple uninterrupted questions and refusals to sit, contravening standard decorum for the rotating press pool format, where reporters typically yield after one or two exchanges.^[18]^[19] In the immediate aftermath, the White House suspended Acosta's hard pass—providing periodic access for pool reporters—pending further review, citing the need to enforce professional conduct rules amid the pool system's constraints on prolonged questioning. Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement asserting that Acosta had engaged in "inappropriate behavior" by "placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job," deeming such actions "simply unacceptable."^[2]^[20]

Revocation and Immediate Response

Official Revocation of Credentials

On November 7, 2018, following the post-midterm election press conference, the White House revoked CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta's hard pass credentials, suspending his access indefinitely "until further notice." Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders formalized the revocation in a statement released on November 8, asserting that Acosta had engaged in "unacceptable" behavior by "placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job" while she attempted to retrieve the microphone from him during the event. The statement referenced a video clip shared by President Trump, which purported to show the incident, though the clip—sourced from a conservative commentator and later identified as slowed down to exaggerate the motion—was disputed by CNN as misleading and not reflective of real-time actions.^[21]^[2]^[22] White House hard passes grant journalists repeated entry to the press briefing room, Oval Office briefings, and other restricted areas for logistical efficiency, but they function as revocable administrative privileges rather than protected rights. Issued after Secret Service background checks and annual renewals, these credentials fall under executive branch discretion to manage access, allowing revocation for conduct deemed disruptive to operations, without requiring advance notice or formal hearings in initial stages—a practice aligned with longstanding precedents from administrations including those of Presidents Reagan and Clinton, where passes were pulled for security violations or repeated rule infractions. The White House Correspondents' Association guidelines emphasize that such access is conditional on professional decorum to ensure orderly proceedings.^[23]^[7] Immediate reactions highlighted partisan divides: media organizations and press freedom advocates, such as the Committee to Protect Journalists, decried the move as an overreach lacking procedural fairness, urging swift reinstatement to avoid chilling independent reporting. Conservative voices, including administration allies, countered that the revocation upheld briefing decorum against Acosta's pattern of extended questioning, which they argued prioritized confrontation over journalistic norms and justified discretionary enforcement to maintain efficiency.^[24]^[25]^[20]

Trump Administration's Justification

The Trump administration justified the revocation of Jim Acosta's hard pass credentials primarily on grounds of maintaining order, protecting White House staff, and ensuring equitable access to questioning during press events. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders stated that Acosta's actions at the November 7, 2018, press conference—specifically, his refusal to relinquish the microphone after multiple questions and physical contact with a female intern attempting to retrieve it—constituted inappropriate conduct that placed the intern in harm's way and disrupted decorum.^[26]^[2] Sanders emphasized that such behavior violated standards of professional decorum expected in the briefing room, framing the decision as a necessary enforcement of rules to prevent any reporter from dominating proceedings at the expense of others.^[20] This rationale aligned with broader administration efforts to address perceived imbalances in White House press interactions, where adversarial questioning had contributed to a decline in formal briefings. During Trump's first three years, the White House conducted only 158 briefings in which a press secretary fielded questions, a sharp reduction compared to prior administrations, which administration officials attributed to media hostility that rendered traditional formats unproductive and prone to interruptions like Acosta's.^[27] Acosta's extended monologue—spanning questions on multiple topics without yielding—exemplified patterns of monopolization that the administration viewed as symptomatic of strained press-government dynamics, prompting measures to prioritize concise, rotational questioning over prolonged confrontations.^[21] From the administration's perspective, credential revocation represented a discretionary executive prerogative over access to restricted areas, akin to private event management rather than a curtailment of press rights, with no constitutional entitlement to permanent credentials. Officials noted that CNN retained alternative access through day passes and other correspondents, underscoring that the action targeted individual misconduct rather than suppressing coverage.^[2] This stance echoed conservative arguments that White House briefings operate under pool system norms granting the executive broad latitude to enforce conduct rules, countering claims of retaliation by highlighting the action's grounding in immediate safety and fairness concerns.^[20]

Court Proceedings

CNN's Lawsuit and District Court Injunction

On November 13, 2018, Cable News Network (CNN) and its chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against President Donald Trump, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, Secret Service officials, and other administration members.^[1] The complaint alleged that the revocation of Acosta's White House press credentials violated his and CNN's rights under the First Amendment by retaliating against protected newsgathering and under the Fifth Amendment by depriving Acosta of a protected property interest without due process.^[4] Plaintiffs sought immediate restoration of Acosta's "hard pass," a temporary restraining order (TRO), preliminary injunction, and declaratory relief affirming the unlawfulness of the suspension.^[28] The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly, a Trump appointee.^[1] On November 16, 2018, following a hearing, Judge Kelly granted CNN's motion for a TRO from the bench, orally restoring Acosta's press credentials effective immediately.^[29] In his written opinion issued the same day, Kelly determined that plaintiffs demonstrated a likelihood of success on their Fifth Amendment due process claim, holding that a White House hard pass constitutes a cognizable property interest for Acosta, as its suspension foreseeably impaired his ability to perform his job.^[30] He found the revocation process deficient, lacking any pre-deprivation notice, opportunity to respond, or established standards for conduct, rendering it arbitrary and violative of procedural due process requirements.^[29] Kelly declined to reach the First Amendment retaliation claim, deeming the due process analysis sufficient for the TRO.^[30] The injunction's scope was narrowly tailored to Acosta's individual credentials, reinstating his access pending further proceedings while explicitly permitting the White House to implement neutral rules governing future press conduct to maintain decorum.^[29] It did not address or prohibit a general policy for credential revocations nor declare the administration's actions unconstitutional on substantive grounds.^[29] Kelly emphasized that the ruling protected against arbitrary deprivation but did not grant reporters unfettered access or immunity from reasonable regulations.^[31]

Government Appeal and Case Mootness

On November 16, 2018, U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly issued a temporary restraining order requiring the restoration of Jim Acosta's White House hard pass, finding a likelihood of success on due process grounds due to the lack of pre-revocation notice or hearing.^[29] The Trump administration opposed a permanent injunction, contending in district court filings that press credentials confer no protected property or liberty interest, are revocable at the discretion of the White House for decorum violations, and that Acosta's conduct warranted indefinite suspension without judicial interference.^[4] Prior to a scheduled hearing on a preliminary injunction, the White House on November 19, 2018, announced interim rules for hard passes, mandating that journalists ask only one question per turn, yield the microphone promptly, and maintain civility toward colleagues; violations could result in credential revocation after notice and an opportunity to respond.^[32] Acosta's hard pass was fully restored that day under these guidelines, eliminating the immediate controversy over his access.^[33] CNN subsequently filed a notice of voluntary dismissal on November 19, 2018, stating the lawsuit was no longer necessary given the restoration and new policy framework, which mooted the claims by resolving the access denial without need for further judicial relief.^[6] The district court dismissed the case without prejudice and without addressing the merits, leaving intact the administration's asserted authority over credential management and avoiding a precedent-setting ruling on constitutional questions.^[1] This outcome highlighted how executive policy adjustments could render disputes non-justiciable, sidestepping deeper appellate scrutiny.

Core Legal Debates

Claims Under the First Amendment

CNN argued in its November 13, 2018, complaint that the revocation of Acosta's press credentials constituted viewpoint-based discrimination and retaliation against protected First Amendment activities, specifically punishing his questioning of administration officials on topics such as immigration policy and the Russia investigation during the November 7 press conference.^[4] The network contended that the action targeted Acosta's critical reporting style, which it framed as core journalistic speech, thereby chilling press freedom by signaling that adversarial coverage could lead to exclusion from White House events.^[34] Federal precedents, however, establish that the First Amendment does not confer an absolute right to access government press facilities or events, even for credentialed journalists. In Sherrill v. Knight (1977), the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that while denials of White House hard passes must be non-arbitrary and subject to review, there is no constitutional entitlement to such access, as the White House is not a public forum open to all speakers.^[35] This holding, cited in CNN's own filing, underscores government discretion in managing limited press pool spaces, prioritizing operational security and decorum over unrestricted media entry.^[4] The First Amendment primarily protects against government suppression of speech, not affirmative demands for venue access, particularly in non-public forums like controlled press briefings where capacity and conduct rules apply. Courts have consistently upheld restrictions on journalist access when tied to neutral criteria such as behavior or space limitations, rejecting claims of inherent press privileges that override executive management of events. Empirical patterns show press credential revocations or exclusions occurring across administrations without prevailing First Amendment challenges, as seen in the Obama-era attempts to limit Fox News participation in press pools over perceived bias, which resolved without judicial invalidation of the underlying authority.^[36] Causal dynamics in government-media relations reveal that sustained adversarial coverage can precipitate access tensions, with analyses documenting CNN's Trump-era reporting as overwhelmingly negative—exceeding 90% in evaluative segments per Media Research Center reviews of network broadcasts, a figure corroborated by broader studies like Harvard's Kennedy School finding 80% negative coverage in the president's first 100 days. Such patterns, while protected speech, inform administrative decisions on event participation without implicating viewpoint discrimination when grounded in conduct, as the Acosta incident involved physical interference with aides rather than content alone.^[37]

Due Process and Property Interest Arguments

CNN and Acosta asserted that the revocation of Acosta's White House "hard pass"—a temporary credential renewed approximately every two years—deprived him of a protected property interest under the Fifth Amendment's Due Process Clause, as it effectively barred access essential to his professional role without any procedural safeguards. They contended that longstanding practice created a legitimate expectation of continued access for credentialed correspondents, implicating both property and liberty interests, including harm to Acosta's reputation from the implied misconduct.^[4] U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly, in granting a temporary restraining order on November 16, 2018, agreed that plaintiffs demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on this claim, ruling that the absence of notice, an opportunity to respond, or discernible standards rendered the process constitutionally deficient.^[30] Kelly drew on Sherrill v. Knight, a 1977 D.C. Circuit decision holding that White House credential denials trigger due process requirements, including provision of reasons and a chance for rebuttal, due to the passes' role in facilitating press access.^[35] He rejected the notion that the temporary nature of hard passes negated any interest, noting empirical patterns of routine renewal fostered reliance on continued access.^[29] The Trump administration countered that hard passes constitute revocable government licenses or privileges, not cognizable property under due process precedents like Board of Regents v. Roth (1972), which require a rules-based entitlement rather than mere expectation.^[38] Officials argued that administrative law permits revocation for cause—such as the cited physical altercation with a White House intern—without a pre-deprivation hearing, akin to suspensions in cases like Barry v. Barchi (1978), where post-deprivation review sufficed for temporary licenses. They emphasized the executive's inherent discretion over press corps management for security, orderly briefings, and resource allocation, unbound by judicially mandated procedures absent explicit statutory constraints.^[39] This position aligned with historical practice, where presidents have curated access without routine recourse to formal hearings, viewing passes as conditional invitations rather than vested rights. Kelly's extension of property-like protections to temporary credentials marked a novel application, diverging from precedents treating similar government benefits—such as security clearances or event permits—as presumptively revocable with minimal process to preserve executive flexibility. Critics, including administrative law scholars, contended this risks entangling courts in operational details of White House logistics, potentially incentivizing vague "cause" determinations to evade scrutiny, though empirical data from subsequent cases shows rare successful due process challenges to press access decisions. The ruling's narrow focus on procedural minima avoided deeper scrutiny of substantive standards, as the government's mootness argument following voluntary restoration curtailed appellate review.^[7]

Perspectives and Criticisms

Defenses of the Trump Administration's Actions

Supporters of the Trump administration contended that the revocation of Acosta's credentials was justified by his demonstrated pattern of disruptive conduct during White House events, including refusal to yield the floor after explicit instructions to cease questioning, which impeded the orderly progression of the briefing.^[40] The official transcript of the November 7, 2018, press conference records President Trump stating "That's enough" and "CNN?" before directing Acosta to sit down, yet Acosta persisted in holding the microphone and engaging physically with an intern attempting to retrieve it, actions that administration officials described as undermining decorum and efficiency in a limited-access forum.^[41] This behavior, they argued, warranted discretionary enforcement to prevent grandstanding and ensure equitable access for all credentialed journalists, rather than allowing one individual to monopolize proceedings. The administration maintained that White House press credentials constitute a revocable privilege, not an enforceable entitlement, granting the executive branch absolute discretion to manage access for operational, security, or conduct-related reasons without violating constitutional protections.^[40]^[42] In legal filings opposing CNN's suit, Department of Justice attorneys emphasized that no precedent compels perpetual access for any reporter, particularly amid repeated disruptions, and that such decisions fall within the president's authority to curate interactions in a non-public venue.^[41] Critics aligned with the administration further highlighted President Trump's extensive use of social media as an alternative channel for transparency, bypassing traditional press filters and reaching millions directly— with over 2,000 tweets in 2018 alone providing unmediated policy updates and responses that obviated reliance on a frequently adversarial press corps. They portrayed CNN's rapid filing of the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia as emblematic of media efforts to judicialize policy disputes, seeking injunctions from a venue handling numerous challenges to executive actions, though the assigned judge, a Trump appointee, issued only a temporary order pending further review.^[43] This approach, they asserted, prioritized institutional norms over empirical needs for controlled briefings amid chaotic media dynamics.

CNN and Media Advocates' Counterarguments

CNN argued that the revocation of Jim Acosta's press credentials on November 7, 2018, constituted retaliation for his persistent questioning of President Trump on sensitive topics, including the Russia investigation, during a post-midterm election press conference, thereby imposing a chilling effect on adversarial journalism.^[4] ^[44] The network contended that such selective exclusion targeted constitutionally protected newsgathering activities, warning that it would deter reporters from rigorous scrutiny of executive actions to avoid similar reprisals.^[45] Media advocates echoed these concerns, asserting that the action breached longstanding White House press pool protocols, which allocate rotational access to correspondents based on outlet seniority and logistical needs rather than content of questions posed, ensuring broad representation in limited-space events.^[46] Organizations including the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press framed the incident as a threat to institutional norms, independent of any outlet's editorial slant, with multiple groups filing amicus briefs in support of CNN's suit.^[4] Notably, Fox News joined this coalition by submitting an amicus brief on November 14, 2018, stating that "passes for working White House journalists should never be weaponized," positioning the dispute as a defense of access equity rather than endorsement of CNN's coverage.^[47] ^[48] CBS News and other outlets similarly participated, underscoring a rare cross-ideological consensus on preserving credentialing as a neutral administrative process.^[49] Despite these assertions of a deterrent impact, empirical patterns post-revocation suggest limited substantiation for a broad chilling effect; White House press interactions persisted with frequent critical inquiries on policy and investigations, and no comparable credential denials targeted other reporters for similar confrontations in the ensuing period.^[6] Some observers critiqued media reliance on judicial intervention for access disputes as potentially fostering entitlement over professional restraint, which could undermine voluntary adherence to decorum standards and exacerbate perceptions of journalistic partiality among the public.^[50]

Resolution and Consequences

Credential Restoration and Policy Reforms

Following the district court's temporary restraining order, the White House formally restored Jim Acosta's hard pass on November 19, 2018, after receiving a formal response from his counsel to a letter outlining proposed standards of conduct for White House reporters.^[6]^[51] The restoration letter specified that future breaches of these standards could result in denial or revocation of access, establishing a written framework to evaluate reporter behavior rather than relying on prior unwritten norms.^[52] The new guidelines emphasized decorum during press events, limiting each reporter to one question— with follow-ups or elaborations permitted only at the discretion of the president or presiding official—and prohibiting actions that disrupt proceedings or impede other journalists' access, such as extended microphone retention or physical interference.^[53]^[54] These measures enforced rotational press pool usage to prevent any single outlet from monopolizing interactions, aligning with longstanding practices but codifying them explicitly to provide notice and a basis for enforcement.^[55] In conjunction with the restoration, CNN voluntarily dismissed its lawsuit against the Trump administration on November 19, 2018, with each party bearing its own costs and no admission of wrongdoing by the government.^[6]^[56] The dismissal preserved the administration's ability to revoke credentials in the future under the new standards, offering a procedural safeguard against claims of arbitrariness while adapting to judicial scrutiny over due process. No further revocations of Acosta's hard pass occurred during the Trump administration, and the formalized rules were credited by White House officials with enabling consistent application of decorum expectations across briefings.^[57] Periodic security reviews of hard passes, a standard practice, continued under the updated criteria, contributing to structured interactions without documented repeats of the November 7, 2018, disruption.^[7]

Broader Ramifications for Press Access and Government-Media Dynamics

The CNN v. Trump litigation exemplified evolving government-media dynamics by reinforcing that White House press access constitutes a revocable privilege rather than an unqualified entitlement, prompting administrations to prioritize direct communication over adversarial briefings. During the Trump presidency, this manifested in a marked reduction of formal press briefings—from near-daily occurrences early on to sporadic events by mid-term—coupled with extensive use of Twitter for unfiltered public engagement, which averaged over 10,000 posts and bypassed traditional gatekeepers perceived as biased.^[58]^[59] This strategic pivot causally linked to empirical declines in public trust, as Gallup surveys documented mass media confidence plummeting from 41% in 2017 to 28% by 2025, with Republican trust nearing zero amid claims of systemic left-leaning bias in outlets like CNN.^[60]^[61] The case set precedents affirming executive discretion in credentialing while mandating minimal due process, influencing subsequent policies by clarifying that disruptive conduct could justify restrictions without violating the First Amendment. The Biden administration, while restoring broader access and resuming regular briefings, retained authority to enforce "hard pass" standards based on attendance and security, echoing the conditional nature upheld in CNN v. Trump rulings.^[62]^[7] Critics, including legal analysts, contended the lawsuit represented media overreach, seeking court-mandated privileges amid evidence of unprofessional behavior rather than addressing root issues of impartiality.^[63] Long-term, the dispute amplified scrutiny of media credibility, correlating with sustained adversarial coverage from CNN—characterized by disproportionate focus on Trump scandals—and resultant audience polarization, as Pew analyses showed partisan outlets like CNN drawing 80% Democratic viewers by 2017, exacerbating echo chambers and distrust.^[64] This legacy underscored causal links between perceived institutional biases and eroded public faith, prompting executives to diversify channels and condition access on decorum, thereby reshaping dynamics toward accountability over accommodation.^[65]^[66]

References

[1]
Case: Cable News Network v. Trump
The case was assigned to District Judge Timothy J. Kelly. Represented by private counsel, the plaintiffs sued President Donald J. Trump, Chief of Staff John F.Missing: lawsuit | Show results with:lawsuit
[2]
White House Revokes Press Pass Of CNN's Jim Acosta - NPR
Nov 7, 2018 · The White House accused Acosta of "putting his hands" on an aide during a press conference in which he repeatedly challenged the president.Missing: case | Show results with:case
[3]
Judge orders White House to return Jim Acosta's press pass - CNN
Nov 16, 2018 · The suit alleges that CNN and Acosta's First and Fifth Amendment rights were violated by last week's suspension of his press pass. Kelly did ...
[4]
[PDF] Case 1:18-cv-02610-TJK Document 6-1 Filed 11/13/18 Page 1 of 23
Nov 13, 2018 · The government's retaliation against CNN and Acosta for engaging in constitutionally protected newsgathering and reporting—which includes ...
[5]
ACLU Comment on CNN Lawsuit Ruling | American Civil Liberties ...
Nov 16, 2018 · A federal court today granted CNN's motion for a temporary restraining order and ordered the White House to reinstate CNN Chief White House Correspondent Jim ...Missing: summary | Show results with:summary
[6]
White House backs down from legal fight, restores Jim Acosta's ...
Nov 19, 2018 · The White House on Monday said that CNN correspondent Jim Acosta's press pass has been “restored,” bowing to days of pressure and a federal lawsuit against the ...
[7]
Legal Fact Check: Can the White House pull a reporter's credentials?
A federal judge ordered the White House to temporarily restore the press credential of CNN reporter Jim Acosta, which was pulled on Nov. 7.
[8]
https://www.businessinsider.com/jim-acosta-trump-cnn-conservative-media-2017-2
[9]
This isn't the first time CNN's Jim Acosta has sparred with Trump
Nov 8, 2018 · Jim Acosta and the White House have tangled before. Trump views CNN as his biggest media enemy, has repeatedly referred to the network as ...Missing: prior | Show results with:prior
[10]
https://www.businessinsider.com/jim-acosta-stephen-miller-immigration-statue-of-liberty-2017-8
[11]
https://www.businessinsider.com/cnn-fake-news-jim-acosta-donald-trump-2017-6
[12]
News Coverage of Donald Trump's First 100 Days
May 18, 2017 · President Trump dominated media coverage in the outlets and programs analyzed, with Trump being the topic of 41 percent of all news stories— ...Missing: 2017-2018 | Show results with:2017-2018
[13]
Trump press coverage 'sets new standard' for negativity: Study - CNBC
May 19, 2017 · President Donald Trump's early days in office were subjected to almost universally negative news coverage, a Harvard study has found.
[14]
'You are fake news': Trump attacks CNN and BuzzFeed at press ...
Jan 11, 2017 · The president-elect was furious after BuzzFeed published a report claiming to show connections between Trump and Russia, using CNN's earlier ...Missing: prior | Show results with:prior
[15]
How Trump's 'fake news' rhetoric has gotten out of control - CNN
Jun 11, 2019 · It was February 16, 2017, and President Donald J. Trump had just held a news conference in the White House East Room to confront questions ...Missing: criticisms prior November
[16]
TRANSCRIPT: Trump's contentious press conference about midterm ...
Nov 8, 2018 · The day after midterm elections, Trump took a victory lap at a raucous news conference. Here's what he said.
[17]
Trump Lashes Out During Combative Press Conference - NPR
Nov 7, 2018 · The president mocked Republicans who lost Tuesday night and went after Democrats and the media.Missing: transcript | Show results with:transcript
[18]
Jim Acosta: White House pulls CNN reporter's pass after Trump ...
Nov 7, 2018 · In a stunning break with protocol, the White House said Wednesday night that it's suspending the press pass of CNN's Jim Acosta “until further notice.”Missing: 2017 | Show results with:2017
[19]
White House aide grabs mic from CNN's Acosta during ... - YouTube
Nov 7, 2018 · An angry Donald Trump got into a heated exchange with CNN's Jim Acosta at a news conference Wednesday, a day after House Democrats took back ...
[20]
White House pulls pass from CNN reporter - POLITICO
Nov 8, 2018 · The White House has revoked CNN reporter Jim Acosta's press access after a contentious moment in a news conference with President Donald Trump.Missing: 2017 | Show results with:2017
[21]
White House bans CNN reporter Jim Acosta after a confrontation ...
Nov 8, 2018 · The two began sparring Wednesday after Acosta asked Trump about the caravan of migrants heading from Latin America to the southern U.S. border.Missing: 2017 | Show results with:2017
[22]
White House press secretary tweets misleading video from InfoWars ...
Nov 8, 2018 · In the statement, Sanders falsely accused Acosta of “placing his hands” on a White House intern as she attempted to aggressively remove the ...Missing: refuses 2017
[23]
Covering the White House
To get a hard pass, journalists must submit an application to the White House Press Office and undergo a background screening by the Secret Service, which ...Missing: precedents | Show results with:precedents
[24]
CPJ calls on White House to restore credentials of CNN ...
Nov 8, 2018 · The White House last night suspended Acosta's credentials after a heated exchange with President Donald Trump during a press conference earlier ...
[25]
White House defends doctored Trump-Acosta clip used to justify ...
Nov 8, 2018 · Press secretary stood by decision to revoke CNN reporter's access and sharing video edited to make his actions more aggressive.
[26]
White House revokes CNN's Jim Acosta's press credentials - Axios
Nov 7, 2018 · In a statement, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Acosta placed his hand on a young White House intern trying to take the microphone away from ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[27]
Death of the daily press briefing: How the White House is ... - RSF
Mar 10, 2020 · The Trump White House had a total of 158 press briefings during which a press secretary took questions in President Trump's first three years in ...
[28]
CNN Sues Trump Administration To Restore Jim Acosta's Press ...
Nov 13, 2018 · CNN's complaint, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, calls the move "an unabashed attempt to censor the press and ...
[29]
Judge Rules In Favor Of CNN, Temporarily Restores ... - NPR
Nov 16, 2018 · The federal judge said the White House cannot revoke reporters' access without due process, as apparently happened in Jim Acosta's case.
[30]
CNN gets temporary due process ruling in Trump case
Nov 16, 2018 · According to reports from the courtroom, Kelly said that CNN was likely to succeed on Fifth Amendment claims about the notification process used ...
[31]
Opinion | Five takeaways from Friday's CNN-White House ruling
Nov 16, 2018 · In essence, the court held that the White House could not take away Acosta's First Amendment rights without due process; in the case of this ...
[32]
White House backs off battle with CNN's Acosta - POLITICO
Nov 19, 2018 · The administration also released new rules requiring all reporters to “yield the floor” after a single question during press conferences.
[33]
Jim Acosta's credential restored, as White House creates new rules
Nov 19, 2018 · The Trump administration restored CNN reporter Jim Acosta's press credential Monday, but created written rules for future news conferences.
[34]
Trump argues in court filing that he can limit journalists' access to ...
Nov 14, 2018 · ... and viewpoint-based discrimination and in retaliation for plaintiffs' exercise of protected First Amendment activity,” CNN's lawsuit alleges.
[35]
Robert Sherrill v. H. Stuart Knight, Director, United States Secret ...
This case involves a challenge to the system under which applications for White House press passes are acted upon.
[36]
History sort of repeats itself with White House media ban - Poynter
Feb 14, 2025 · The Obama White House refused to let Fox News participate in a network pool rotation until other outlets came to Fox's defense.
[37]
A 1970s press pass case could shape the AP's lawsuit against Trump
Apr 4, 2025 · In late 2018, CNN cited Sherrill v. Knight in its federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, during President Donald Trump's first ...
[38]
White House fires back at CNN lawsuit, claiming 'broad discretion'
Nov 14, 2018 · They also denied, as CNN had argued, that Acosta's pass had been revoked "because the President and his administration do not like CNN or ...Missing: property | Show results with:property
[39]
https://www.wsj.com/articles/cnn-v-trump-is-there-a-constitutional-right-to-a-press-pass-1542142441
[40]
Jim Acosta: White House defends revoking CNN man's access - BBC
Nov 14, 2018 · CNN's Jim Acosta lost his access after a fiery exchange with President Trump. A White House intern tried to take the microphone from Mr Acosta ...
[41]
Justice Department defends revoking CNN reporter's press credentials
Nov 14, 2018 · The Justice Department has defended its right to revoke CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta's press credentials after CNN filed a First Amendment lawsuit.
[42]
Trump Administration Argues Against Restoring Jim Acosta's White ...
Nov 14, 2018 · The government says it has absolute discretion over which journalists receive on-demand access to the White House grounds.
[43]
Jim Acosta Will Only Behave When There's A Democrat In The White ...
Nov 19, 2018 · CNN sued the White House, claiming that the ban violated Acosta's First Amendment rights. Judge Rules On Jim Acosta. Federal District Court ...
[44]
CNN Sues Trump Administration for Barring Jim Acosta From White ...
Nov 13, 2018 · CNN sued the Trump administration on Tuesday in an effort to reinstate the press credentials of its chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta.Missing: shopping | Show results with:shopping
[45]
CNN sues Trump to get Jim Acosta's press pass restored - POLITICO
Nov 13, 2018 · White House officials told CNN and Acosta they did not intend to return his credentials, according to the complaint. The complaint also stated ...Missing: details | Show results with:details
[46]
Georgetown Law's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and ...
Nov 13, 2018 · “Such retaliatory action not only harms CNN and Mr. Acosta but also aims to chill the constitutionally protected speech of other journalists ...
[47]
Fox News stands with CNN: 'Passes for working White House ...
Nov 14, 2018 · Fox News announced on Wednesday that it supports CNN's efforts to restore Jim Acosta's White House credential after the network filed a lawsuit against the ...Missing: v. | Show results with:v.
[48]
CBS News, Fox News back CNN; Will file amicus briefs for lawsuit ...
Nov 14, 2018 · Fox News has filed a "friend of the court" brief in federal court in support of CNN's lawsuit against the Trump administration for revoking ...Missing: v. | Show results with:v.
[49]
Fox News and other outlets join CNN fight over press access to ...
Nov 14, 2018 · Jay Wallace, the president of Fox News, said his network supports CNN's legal effort to restore Jim Acosta's press pass, just hours after ...Missing: v. | Show results with:v.
[50]
CNN has a good case against White House over Acosta's revoked ...
Nov 13, 2018 · CNN's lawsuit against the Trump administration over the suspension of correspondent Jim Acosta's press credentials has merit, according to JudgeMissing: advocates pool norms
[51]
White House suspends CNN reporter Jim Acosta's press credentials ...
Nov 7, 2018 · On Nov. 16, 2018, federal judge Timothy Kelly granted CNN's request for an order to temporarily reinstate Acosta's White House press pass while ...Missing: opinion v.
[52]
[PDF] November 19, 2018 Dear Mr. Acosta: We received a letter from your ...
Nov 19, 2018 · That letter says, among other things, that "there are no so-called 'widely understood practices"' governing the conduct of journalists covering ...
[53]
White House introduces new press rules amid Jim Acosta row - UPI
Nov 19, 2018 · Under the new rules a journalist will be permitted a single question before yielding the floor to other journalists, but a follow-up question or ...<|separator|>
[54]
CNN's Jim Acosta Has Press Pass Restored by White House
Nov 19, 2018 · The Trump administration informed the correspondent that his badge was formally restored, prompting the network to drop a lawsuit over the ...Missing: v. case
[55]
White House Rules for Press Conferences Pose New Problems
Nov 19, 2018 · The White House issued standards for the media at press conferences, but legal experts find them problematic.
[56]
White House restores Jim Acosta's press pass, but institutes new ...
Nov 19, 2018 · The White House has restored the press credentials of CNN's chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta, and as a result, CNN will drop its ...Missing: standards v
[57]
White House will not seek to revoke CNN reporter Jim Acosta's ...
Nov 19, 2018 · Last week, Fox News announced that it would support CNN's effort to restore Acosta's White House credential and filed an amicus brief with the ...Missing: v. | Show results with:v.
[58]
No Longer Daily, White House Press Briefings Fade As Trump Does ...
Oct 11, 2018 · The briefings, which were must-see TV early on in the Trump administration, are now shorter and less frequent. But reporters are getting ...
[59]
Trump tweetstorms wash away White House press briefings | AP News
Jun 21, 2017 · Once more freewheeling exchanges, briefings have been shrinking both in length and content as Trump's senior aides clamp down on information and ...
[60]
Trust in Media at New Low of 28% in U.S. - Gallup News
Oct 2, 2025 · Americans' trust in newspapers, television and radio to report the news fully, accurately and fairly is at a new low of 28%.
[61]
Five Key Insights Into Americans' Views of the News Media
Feb 27, 2025 · Republicans' lack of trust in the mass media has surged in the Trump era. Whereas about a third of U.S. adults say they have no trust at all in ...
[62]
CNN v Trump Might Be Over. But the Dangers Are Just Beginning.
Dec 4, 2018 · CNN sued, arguing the White House had violated Acosta's First and Fifth Amendment rights. And a judge, who happened to be put on the bench by ...
[63]
White House Argues It Has 'Broad Discretion' to Restrict Journalists ...
Nov 14, 2018 · “While Acosta does not have a constitutional right to a White House press pass, its removal as retaliation for unfavorable coverage would ...
[64]
Covering President Trump in a Polarized Media Environment
2 Oct 2017 · A new Pew Research Center study of media coverage of the early days of the Trump administration finds those preferences can be significant.Missing: bias post adversarial
[65]
Media Companies Dominate the Country's Most Divisive Brands List ...
1 Oct 2019 · And for the major media outlets that have embraced a more adversarial stance on Trump since his election, business has been good. Viewership for ...
[66]
White House revokes press passes for dozens of journalists
May 9, 2019 · The White House revoked the press passes of a significant chunk of the Washington press corps because they didn't meet a new standard.