White House bars CNN from Air Force One for Trump's Tennessee trip. The network is replaced by Real America's Voice for the president's Saturday visit to Knoxville. The move follows a federal judge's temporary reversal of Trump's media ban, which allowed CNN and two other outlets to return to White House grounds.
The White House signaled Friday that CNN would be left off Air Force One for Trump's trip to Tennessee. The decision comes as the administration continues its conflict with media outlets, including a recent ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from White House grounds. A federal judge temporarily struck down the ban in an overnight ruling, but the decision did not directly address pool duties.
The press pool, a rotating roster of five major broadcast outlets, was back in operation after a judge's order. CNN, which is part of the pool, was replaced by Real America's Voice for the trip. The White House did not immediately respond to questions about the decision, but the judge's ruling addressed 'hard passes' to the White House grounds but not pool duties.
The administration's media restrictions face legal challenges, with experts suggesting the ban may have constitutional implications. The White House has targeted media outlets it views as unfavorable, including a previous ban on AP reporters over a name change executive order.