First Thing: News outlets suspend coverage of Trump in escalating media access row
President’s decision to ban three news organisations from White House prompts backlash. Plus, a new resource to help trace the history of enslaved people in the 19th century Good morning. The row over media access to the presidency has deepened, with major US television news outlets agreeing to suspend their video coverage of Donald Trump after the administration banned journalists from several…
Recent political tensions have intensified as three major US news outlets suspend coverage of President Trump in response to a White House ban on their access to the presidential grounds. The ongoing dispute centers on President Trump's suspension of journalists from CNN, MS Now, and Politico, citing frustration with "purposely negative stories" about him.
The White House provided its own livestream for Trump's midday ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new helipad, but the president's remarks were inaudible due to the sound of a helicopter's engine.
CNN, MS Now, and Politico have vowed to challenge the ban, filing a lawsuit to protect their First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not dictate what the press reports or publishes. The news organizations argue that the ban infringes upon their constitutional freedoms and the media's role in informing the public.
Beyond the media access controversy, other significant developments have occurred recently. Paramount has reached an agreement with California and multiple other states that had sued over the proposed $81 billion merger between Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD). The California attorney general's announcement clears the path for the consolidation of some of Hollywood's most renowned TV networks and studios under a single owner.
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian US's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
