Former President Donald Trump’s campaign has made headlines after denying access to several top media outlets during his election night event in West Palm Beach, Florida. Journalists from Politico, Axios, Puck, Voice of America, and Mother Jones were reportedly barred from attending, which has raised eyebrows due to the campaign’s history of strained relations with the media.
Retaliation For Critical Coverage?
The media outlets were allegedly excluded in retaliation for their critical coverage of Trump’s campaign. For example, Politico was initially granted access but had its credentials revoked after publishing an article revealing that a Trump campaign field director had been fired for being a white nationalist. Puck’s reporter was also disqualified after writing about growing tensions within the campaign close to the event. Puck’s Jon Kelly expressed disappointment but emphasized the team’s commitment to rigorous reporting.
Trump’s Longstanding Conflict With The Media
This exclusion of the press is consistent with Trump’s ongoing attacks on the media. Throughout his political career, he has frequently criticized journalists and news organizations, accusing them of bias and calling for investigations into “treasonous” media outlets. During his rallies, Trump has also called for broadcasters to lose their licenses due to perceived media bias against him.
This move by Team Trump isn’t unprecedented. In 2018, the Trump White House revoked CNN correspondent Jim Acosta’s press credentials, only to be forced to restore them after a lawsuit was filed by CNN. This ongoing tension underscores Trump’s contentious relationship with certain sectors of the media.
Campaign’s Justification For Exclusions
A source familiar with the campaign’s decisions told CNN that while some reporters were indeed denied access, it wasn’t solely due to their critical reporting. The source dismissed claims that the move was retaliatory and argued that many other reporters would still be allowed into the event. However, the Trump campaign did not respond to CNN’s request for further comment.
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