Politico: Trump White House Admits They Placed A “Ban” On Officials Appearing On CNN

White House Official Insinuates They Will Lift The Ban If Coverage Becomes More Favorable

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

Politico reported the Trump “White House has refused to send its spokespeople or surrogates onto CNN shows, effectively icing out the network from on-air administration voices.”



The January 31 report includes a White House official claiming “the ban is not permanent,” insinuating that they will allow officials back on the network if the coverage becomes more favorable, while “A CNN reporter, speaking on background, was more blunt: The White House is trying to punish the network and force down its ratings.”



The Trump Administration’s decision to avoid sending surrogates and spokespeople to CNN follows their decision to blacklist CNN on the Sunday after Trump’s inauguration, and supports Media Matters’ documentation of the Trump Administration’s blackout on CNN. From Politico:

The White House has refused to send its spokespeople or surrogates onto CNN shows, effectively icing out the network from on-air administration voices.



“We’re sending surrogates to places where we think it makes sense to promote our agenda,” said a White House official, acknowledging that CNN is not such a place, but adding that the ban is not permanent.



A CNN reporter, speaking on background, was more blunt: The White House is trying to punish the network and force down its ratings.



“They’re trying to cull CNN from the herd,” the reporter said.



[...]



The last time an administration official was on CNN’s Sunday public affairs show “State of the Union” was Conway on January 8. She also appeared on CNN the following Wednesday with Anderson Cooper, the same day as then President-elect Trump's press conference where he derided CNN for publishing a report that intelligence officials had briefed both Trump and former President Barack Obama that the Russians may have negative information about Trump. At the press conference, the president-elect refused to take a question from CNN correspondent Jim Acosta, who shouted out to him to answer his question since he was attacking his news organization.



After his inauguration, Trump has continued blasting CNN as “fake news."



Since then, Conway, Spicer, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and even Vice President Mike Pence have made the rounds on the major Sunday shows but, notably, CNN’s “State of the Union" has been cut out.