White House yanks press pass of CNN’s Jim Acosta

When the intern tried to take the microphone after Trump indicated he wanted to move to the next question, Acosta appeared to momentarily push down on the young woman’s arm, prompting her to withdraw and kneel down as he continued to talk over Trump.

A hard pass is a form of credential that allows select reporters access to the White House without being accompanied by staff. It requires a Secret Service background check.

Sanders said the administration welcomes tough questions, taking 68 of them from 35 reporters during the hour-and-a-half-long press conference Wednesday. However, she said the “outrageous disregard for everyone, including young women, who work in this administration” by CNN and Acosta was behind the White House decision to take Acosta’s pass.

[More: Kellyanne Conway demands apology from Jim Acosta: ‘You don’t put your hands on a woman’]

Video of the incident shows a contentious exchange between Acosta and Trump about the migrant caravan and Acosta holding on to the microphone to ask another question as the intern tries to take it from him. Acosta appears to tug the microphone away from the intern.

The cable network fired back in a statement late Wednesday, saying Sanders provided fraudulent allegations and cited an incident that never happened, presumably referring to Sanders’ saying Acosta put his hands on the intern.

“This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better,” the statement reads. “Jim Acosta has our full support.”

Both the network and Acosta have long had a contentious relationship with Trump. Trump regularly refers to CNN as “fake news” and says fake news is “the enemy of the people” at his rallies, during which attendees often chant “CNN sucks!” Acosta often asks Trump provocative, leading questions and argues with the president.

Acosta said on Twitter shortly before 8 p.m. he was informed by Secret Service he could no longer enter White House grounds.