White House Suspends CNN's Jim Acosta’s Press Pass After Trump Confrontation
Acosta scuffled with a female intern who attempted to take the microphone back
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The White House suspended CNN reporter Jim Acosta’s press pass following a confrontational and disrespectful exchange with President Trump after he refused to give up the microphone.
Acosta scuffled with a female intern who attempted to take the microphone back from him.
“President Trump believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration. We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern,” White House Press Secretary Sarah announced in a statement.
“This conduct is absolutely unacceptable. It is also completely disrespectful to the reporter’s colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question.”
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She continued:
President Trump has given the press more access than any President in history.
Contrary to CNN’s assertions, there is no greater demonstration of the President’s support for a free press than the event he held today.
Only they would attack the President for not being supportive of a free press in the midst of him taking 68 questions from 35 different reporters throughout an hour and a half – including several from the reporter in question.
The fact that CNN is proud of the way their employee behaved is not only disgusting, but it is also an example of their outrageous disregard for everyone, including young women, who work in this Administration.
As a result of today’s incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice.
President Trump believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration. We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern...
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) November 8, 2018
I’ve just been denied entrance to the WH. Secret Service just informed me I cannot enter the WH grounds for my 8pm hit
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 8, 2018
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The confrontational exchange occurred while the President was giving a press conference on the results of the midterm election.
Acosta, who is known for confrontations, began to challenge Trump on calling the caravan an “invasion.”
“As you know, Mr. President, the caravan was not an invasion. It’s a group of migrants moving up from Central America towards the border with the U.S. Why did you characterize it as such?” he asked.
“Because I consider it an invasion. You and I have a difference of opinion,” Trump responded.
Acosta then asked Trump “demonized immigrants” in the midterm election.
Trump responded:
“I want them to come into the country, but they have to come in legally. You know, they have to come in, Jim, through a process. I want it to be a process. And I want people to come in. And we need the people.”
Acosta then asserted that migrants in the caravan would not be climbing over walls and they were “hundreds and hundreds of miles away.”
“That’s not an invasion,” he told Trump.
Trump replied, “Honestly, I think you should let me run the country, you run CNN — and if you did it well, your ratings would be much better.”
As Acosta attempted to ask other questions, Trump tried to move on several times.
The reporter then repeatedly refused to give up the microphone, which led to a female intern meeting to take it because as Acosta pushed her arm away.
Trump told Acosta, “I’ll tell you what: CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldn’t be working for CNN.”
Acosta protested, “that’s unfair.”
“You’re a very rude person. The way you treat Sarah Huckabee is horrible. And the way you treat other people are horrible. You shouldn’t treat people that way,” Trump countered.
Just last month Neon Nettle reported White House reporter had to apologize after sending a Tweet to a former Trump White House staffer saying "F**K You" in response to his complaints about the noise levels at Donald Trump's rally in Missoula, Montana.
Acosta replied to Justin Caporale's Tweet, the former aid to Melania Trump, with "F**K You."
