Todd Blanche Erupts Over Trump's Media Ban on Air Force One
Attorney General Todd Blanche appeared on ABC's 'This Week' Sunday and defended barring CNN, Politico, and MS NOW from White House access. He said White House access is "a privilege, not a right."
- 3 outlets were banned; Trump cited years of inaccurate coverage.
- 14-day temporary restraining order restored credentials while litigation proceeds.
- CNN was blocked from Air Force One for Trump's Saturday Tennessee trip.
- ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox News refused to replace CNN in pool rotation.
Why it matters: The case tests whether the White House can revoke press credentials without triggering First Amendment protections. The outlets say the ban retaliates for unfavorable coverage.
- Judge Timothy Kelly found the national security rationale unsupported by pre-lawsuit records.
- Trump told reporters the ban stemmed from "cumulative stories over the last two years," not a single article.
How 21 sources split on this story
Where they split: The core dispute is whether the administration is enforcing a content-neutral access policy or retaliating against specific outlets for their coverage.
Center coverage, 3 sources: The center presents the interview as a factual account of the legal and policy dispute, noting both Blanche's arguments and the judge's skepticism of the national security rationale.
Left coverage, 4 sources: The left frames Blanche's interview as an evasive performance defending what legal experts describe as an unconstitutional attack on press freedom, highlighting his testy exchanges with Raddatz.
Raw Story2dTodd Blanche snaps when pressed on Trump's 'unconstitutional' move: 'I did not say that!'
CNN1dBlanche says reporters `one-sided news’ is a national security issue worthy of barring press
Mediaite2d‘You Cannot Be Asking Me That!’ AG Todd Blanche Erupts at ABC’s Martha Raddatz in Heated ...TNRThe New Republic12hTodd Blanche Freaks Out Over Media Ban After Trump Bars CNN AgainRight coverage, 14 sources: The right frames Blanche's remarks as a principled stand against biased legacy media, arguing that White House access is a privilege and the administration is right to enforce it.
RedState2dAG Blanche: White House Access Is a Privilege, Not a Right
Just the News2dBlanche defends Trump banning CNN, MS Now and Politico from White House
The Epoch Times2dBlanche Says Trump Has Right to Restrict Media Access to White House, Air Force One
BizPac Review1dAttorney General Todd Blanche pushes back on ABC News host Martha Raddatz’s ‘extraordinarily disingenuous’ comments about press freedom under Trump
Breitbart News1dAG Blanche: Trump Sick and Tired of Certain Media Outlets 'Refusing to Report Accurate News'
Conservative Treehouse1dMedia Aghast at Not Controlling White House Press Coverage, AG Todd Blanche -VS- ABC Martha Raddatz - The Last Refuge
Daily Mail21hTrump's Attorney General Todd Blanche defends media ban by calling press a 'national security problem'
NewsBusters1dAG Todd Blanche SCHOOLS ABC’s Martha Raddatz on the WH Press Ban
NTD1dBlanche Says Trump Has Right to Restrict Media Access to White House, Air Force One
The Daily Caller1dAttorney General Todd Blanche Pushes Back On ABC Host’s ‘Extraordinarily Disingenuous’ Comments About Press Freedom Under Trump
The Gateway Pundit1dTodd Blanche Erupts on Martha Raddatz Over Trump’s Media Ban (VIDEO) * The Gateway Pundit * by Cristina Laila
Twitchy15hTodd Blanche Caught ABC's Martha Raddatz Pushing More BS, So She Wanted to Quickly Move OnWhat’s next: The temporary restraining order expires in 14 days; full litigation continues.
- The court will weigh whether national security or coverage criticism drove the ban.
- Will the court find the national security justification legally sufficient when the case moves past the TRO stage?
- How will the traditional TV pool function if major networks continue refusing to substitute for CNN?