President Donald Trump wants reporters to “practice decorum” at the White House after federal Judge Timothy J. Kelly ruled that the press pass of CNN’s Jim Acosta must be reinstated.
The president said the administration is “writing up rules and regulations” for reporters, he told journalists at the White House Friday, reports CBS News. He said that if reporters interrupt, he “will just leave and then [reporters] won’t be very happy.”
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The president added that he wants “total freedom of the press. It’s very important to me. It’s more important to me than anyone would believe.”
“It’s not a big deal,” Trump also told Fox News Friday about Kelly’s ruling. “What they said, though, is that we have to create rules and regulations for conduct, et cetera. We’re going to write them up. It’s not a big deal. If he misbehaves, we’ll throw him out or we’ll stop the news conference.”
On Tuesday, CNN filed a lawsuit in D.C. District Court, listing Trump and other members of the administration as defendants. The network argued that Acosta’s First Amendment rights were violated when Trump revoked his “hard pass,” which gives journalists access to the White House briefing room and press conferences, after a testy exchange with the president during a Nov. 7 press conference.
The White House claimed Acosta put his hands on an intern who tried to take his microphone away. But, as CBS News notes, the White House did not list this as a reason for taking Acosta’s pass.
Kelly, who was appointed by Trump, granted CNN’s request for a temporary restraining order to force the White House to reinstate Acosta’s pass. Kelly said the administration also violated Acosta’s Fifth Amendment right of due process by not telling him he could have his pass revoked. Acosta was also denied an opportunity to rebut the administration.
“The need for the opportunity to be heard seems especially important in this case,” Kelly said.
As CNN notes, Kelly’s ruling was limited in scope. He did not rule on the overall case, just granting the temporary restraining order. He wrote that CNN could win the case though.
“We are gratified with this result and we look forward to a full resolution in the coming days. Our sincere thanks to all who have supported not just CNN, but a free, strong and independent American press,” CNN said in a statement after Kelly’s ruling.
CNN’s lawyers said another hearing is expected to take place in the coming weeks.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said the administration will “temporarily reinstate” Acosta’s pass, adding that the White House will “further develop rules and processes to ensure fair and orderly press conferences in the future. There must be decorum at the White House.”
Photo Credit: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
