The White House has barred CNN reporters from travelling with US President Donald Trump on Saturday, despite the network being scheduled to join the press pool covering his trip to Tennessee.
The latest move comes days after a federal judge ordered the temporary restoration of White House access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico after the Trump administration barred reporters from the three outlets.
The administration had accused the outlets of negative coverage of Trump.
CNN had been scheduled to serve as the television network in the press pool for Trump’s trip to Tennessee.
However, a schedule released by the White House on Friday evening did not include CNN or any of the other major television networks in the TV pool rotation.
Instead, the schedule listed a “Secondary TV” correspondent and crew from Lindell TV, a pro-Trump outlet operated by businessman Mike Lindell, a close ally of the president.
The White House press pool is a rotating group of journalists who travel with the president and share their coverage with other news organisations because of limited space.
Earlier this week, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC jointly halted pool coverage of the White House in protest after access for the three outlets was revoked.
“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government. No administration should restrict a news organisation because it objects to its reporting,” the broadcasters said in a joint statement.
CNN declined to comment on Friday when contacted by AFP, while the White House did not respond to a request for comment.
