The White House on Monday restored CNN reporter Jim Acosta’s press credential but also laid out new rules for press conferences that will limit reporters to asking a single question before they have to hand back the microphone.
The dispute with Acosta occurred Nov. 7, when Acosta asked President Trump several questions, refused to yield to other reporters, and blocked an intern who was trying to take back the microphone. Trump called Acosta “rude,” and the White House revoked his press pass temporarily, citing his conduct at the event.
CNN subsequently sued the White House over the revocation, arguing Acosta’s First and Fifth Amendment rights had been violated.
A federal court in the District of Columbia ruled last week that Acosta’s Fifth Amendment right to due process had been violated, and ordered the White House to restore Acosta’s press credential for 14 days.
But hours after the order from U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, White House communications director Bill Shine and White House press secretary Sarah Sanders sent Acosta a letter notifying him they made the “preliminary decision” to suspend his hard pass due to his behavior at the press conference.
On Monday, though, the White House appeared to reverse that decision. CNN indicated its lawsuit against the White House is over.
“Today the @WhiteHouse 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 Communications tweeted.
In its letter to CNN, the White House also said it would create new rules for press conferences that are designed to avoid future battles between Trump and the press like the one he had with Acosta. The White House also made it clear it could revoke Acosta’s press pass again if he failed to follow the rules.
“Should you refuse to follow these rules in the future, we will take action in accordance with the rules set forth above,” the letter said. “The president is aware of this decision and concurs.”
The rules specify that each journalist will be permitted to ask a “single question” before yielding the floor to other reporters. They say follow-up questions are allowed “at the discretion of the president or other White House official taking questions.”
The policy defined “yielding the floor” as “physically surrendering the microphone to White House staff for use by the next questioner.”
If a journalist fails to abide by the rules, his or her hard pass may be suspended or revoked, the letter said.
“The White House’s interaction with the press is, and generally should be, subject to a natural give-and-take. President Trump believes strongly in the First Amendment, and a free press and is the most accessible President in modern history,” Sanders said. “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.”
