White House restores full press credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta; news channel withdraws lawsuit

Washington: The Trump administration has restored the full press credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta who was temporarily barred from entering the White House. Following the decision, CNN announced to withdraw its lawsuit against the White House. Simultaneously, the White House also announced that it has framed new rules for the reporters covering the news conferences, either by President Donald Trump or senior administration officials. As per the guidelines, a reporter can ask a single question and permission for a follow up will be subject to the discretion of the individual holding the news conference. [caption id=“attachment_5517761” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A White House staff member reaches for the microphone held by CNN’s Jim Acosta as he questions Donald Trump. Reuters[/caption] Any violation of the rule might result in revocation of the press credentials, the White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said, as she announced restoration of full access to Acosta. “This afternoon we have notified Jim Acosta and CNN that his hard pass has been restored. We have also notified him of certain rules that will govern White House press conferences going forward,” Sanders said. Acosta, is the Chief White House Correspondent of CNN. His hard pass was temporarily suspended after his altercation with Trump during a news conference on 7 November. CNN challenged the decision in the court. After a federal district court overruled the White House’s order, Acosta’s hard pass was temporarily restored on Friday. Meanwhile, listing out the three new rules, Sanders said a journalist will ask a single question and then yield the floor to other journalists. Secondly, at the discretion of the President or other White House official taking questions, a follow-up question or questions may be permitted. Finally, “yielding the floor” includes, when applicable, physically surrendering the microphone to White House staff for use by the next questioner, Sanders said. “Failure” to abide by any of rules “may result in suspension or revocation of the journalist’s hard pass,” she warned. Shortly after the White House’s decision, CNN announced to withdraw its lawsuit against the Trump administration. “Today the White House fully restored Acosta’s press pass. As a result, our lawsuit is no longer necessary. We look forward to continuing to cover the White House,” CNN said. The White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) welcomed the decision of the Trump administration and asserted that a free and independent news media plays a vital role in the health of a republic. “The White House did the right thing in restoring Jim Acosta’s hard pass,” Olivier Knox, WHCA President said. “The White House Correspondents’ Association had no role in crafting any procedures for future press conferences,” he said. “For as long as there have been White House press conferences, White House reporters have asked follow-up questions. We fully expect this tradition will continue. We will continue to make the case that a free and independent news media plays a vital role in the health of our republic,” Knox said. However, in her lengthy statement, Sanders noted that White House created the new rules with a degree of regret. For years, members of the White House press corps have attended countless press events with the President and other officials without engaging in the behaviour Acosta displayed at the November 7 press conference, she said. “We would have greatly preferred to continue hosting White House press conferences in reliance on a set of understood professional norms, and we believe the overwhelming majority of journalists covering the White House share that preference.” “But, given the position taken by CNN, we now feel obligated to replace previously shared practices with explicit rules,” she said. Sanders said the White House is mindful that a more elaborate and comprehensive set of rules might need to be devised, including, for example, for journalist conduct in the open (non-press room) areas inside and outside the White House and for Air Force One. “At this time, however, we have decided not to frame such rules in the hope that professional journalistic norms will suffice to regulate conduct in those places. If the unprofessional behaviour occurs in those settings, or if a court should decide that explicit rules are required to regulate conduct there, we will be forced to reconsider this decision,” she said. “The White House’s interaction with the press is, and generally should be, subject to a natural give-and-take,” Sanders said. “President Trump believes strongly in the First Amendment, and a free press and is the most accessible President in modern history. It would be a great loss for all if, instead of relying on the professionalism of White House journalists, we were compelled to devise a lengthy and detailed code of conduct for White House events,” said the White House Press Secretary.