With the withdrawal of accreditation for CNN reporter Jim Acosta, US President Donald Trump’s White House has sparked much outrage in the US. Many journalists in the US see this as a worrying attack on press freedom.
Trump had engaged in a verbal battle with Acosta at a press conference after he had insisted that he be able to ask his questions about the ongoing Russia investigation by special investigator Robert Mueller. Acosta did not want to return the microphone after Trump had insulted him and said it was enough.
Government sees „inappropriate behavior“
Trump’s spokeswoman Sarah Sanders explained the withdrawal of the accreditation by saying that Acosta behaved inappropriately towards a colleague and „put a hand on it“ when she tried to take the microphone out of Acosta’s hand. Sanders tweeted a video intended to substantiate the allegation.
We stood by our decision to revoke this individual’s hard pass. We do not tolerate the inward behavior. pic.twitter.com/T8X1Ng912y
– Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) November 8, 2018
The video is very controversial in the US. Critics see in the arrangement of images and selected zooms and slow motion a deliberate manipulation. In addition, in the zoom scene in the movement of Acosta’s arm down further single images were copied into it, to make the scene seem more dramatic. The video was apparently made by an employee of controversial website infowars of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Acosta’s apology to the woman is not included.
Journalists demand withdrawal
CNN immediately rejected the allegation against Acosta. The accusation that Acosta has „put a hand on an intern“ is a lie. The withdrawal of accreditation is „unprecedented“ and a „threat to our democracy“. The Association of White House accredited correspondents spoke of a „weak and misguided“ step and called on the government to reverse the decision.
White House aide grabs and tries to release a CNN Correspondent Jim Acosta at Trump at a news conference. https://t.co/ogHhRsO0AI pic.twitter.com/WZbbP5Jwq5
– NBC News (@NBCNews) November 8, 2018
Many prominent journalists expressed their solidarity with Acosta, rejected the criticism of him as groundless and called the actions of the White House alarming. Presidents of the President, on the other hand, accused Acosta of staging an anti-Trump class and of playing in the foreground.
Internationally, the – most unusual – approach of the White House is also being observed. While a spokesman for the EU Commission in Brussels did not want to comment directly on the White House incident, he said in general during the daily briefing on Thursday: „In this pressroom, no journalist is ever excluded because of his or her questions, treated badly , be discriminated against or treated in any way disrespectful (…). That will never happen here. „
