Raging Trump Explodes as His Bonkers Media Ban Backfires
The president claimed that he “cherishes” press freedom.
Photo Illustration by Victoria Sunday/The Daily Beast/Getty Images
President Donald Trump has angrily reacted to the revelation that three news organizations will fight back against his assault on free speech.
CNN, MS NOW, and Politico notified the administration on Monday that they were filing a critical First Amendment lawsuit to restore their access to the White House after Trump banned them on Friday.
He claimed that the trio of organizations was treating him unfairly and, in a follow-up post on Monday morning, said it’s definitely not because he simply doesn’t like their output.
Truth Social / Donald Trump
“The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish,” he opened his rant, claiming that he “is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS, something that has grown like Cancer in our beloved United States of America.”
Leaning into the victim narrative, he added, “It is corrupt, purposeful, pervasive, fully coordinated, and totally out of control. It is a threat to our National Security, and must be stopped, NOW! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
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On Friday, Trump claimed that the respected outlets were peddling lies about him. “Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America,” he raged in an extremely on-brand Truth Social post. “Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow.”
A joint statement from the three affected organizations.
CNN/X
The plot thickened on Saturday when the networks’ reporters were denied entry to the White House, and the Secret Service confiscated their credentials.
The three news organizations released a joint statement on Monday. “This morning, we notified the government that we are filing a lawsuit today to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes,” it said.
“Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting,” they added. “Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference.”
Kristen Holmes, CNN's Senior White House Correspondent, asks a question during a press briefing in August last year.
Alexander Drago/REUTERS
The suit, led by Ted Boutrous, a legendary First Amendment lawyer, pointed to Trump’s desire for only boot-lickers and knee-benders to be in the room. “President Trump has said in no uncertain terms that he would prefer only to be covered by news organizations and reporters who praise his administration,” it stated.
The orgs called the ban “unconstitutional.”
It comes after a late-night / early morning Truth Social posting frenzy where Trump said that only Breitbart News treated him “fairly.”
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