Todd Blanche Defends Trump Media Ban
Todd Blanche said White House press access is a privilege, not a right.
What happened
Todd Blanche defended the Trump administration’s restrictions on CNN, MS NOW and Politico, saying White House access is a “privilege, not a right.” The administration barred the outlets from White House access starting September 19, and a federal judge later temporarily ordered their credentials restored while the lawsuit continues. The judge said the record so far did not support the government’s national-security rationale, pointing instead to President Donald Trump’s complaints about negativity and truthfulness. Blanche said the president can decide who enters the White House and flies on Air Force One. He said false or one-sided coverage can become a national security issue. The lawsuit remains active, leaving access rules unsettled.
From the left
Coverage cast Blanche’s defense as an effort to recast critical or one-sided reporting as a security rationale for exclusions. CNN emphasized the ban’s legal vulnerability, noting a judge’s skepticism and temporary restoration of credentials. The Guardian highlighted the administration’s argument that White House and Air Force One access was a discretionary privilege rather than a press right. The Guardian also cited CNN’s account of its Air Force One pool exclusion as evidence the fight continued despite court action.
From the right
Only one right-leaning outlet we track covered this: Just the News, under the headline “Blanche defends Trump banning CNN, MS Now and Politico from White House”.
Blanche defends Trump’s White House media ban: ‘It’s a privilege … not a right’
Blanche Angrily Defends Trump’s Press Ban [VIDEO]
