Today anchor Craig Melvin pressed Secretary of State Marco Rubio over Donald Trump’s decision to bar several media outlets from the White House.
Melvin, 47, raised the issue as their wide-ranging interview drew to a close on Tuesday. The discussion had also covered artificial intelligence, domestic gas prices and the war involving Iran.
“You have a pool of reporters who travel with you. Are there any plans to ban reporters who travel with you as a result?” Melvin asked abruptly.
Rubio, who was attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York, initially appeared to sidestep the question. Instead, he explained why he said he could not “blame” the president for the decision.
“Look, I’ve got to be honest with you – maybe you’re not going to like hearing this,” Rubio warned, as Melvin’s frustration quickly became apparent.
“But I watch a lot of American news coverage, and in some cases it sounds as if they’re rooting for Iran.
“It sounds like they present everything Iran says in its public statements as fact, while portraying everything American officials say as untrue,” the secretary continued.
Today anchor Craig Melvin confronted Marco Rubio about Donald Trump’s White House press ban as their Tuesday morning interview on the Iran war, artificial intelligence and gas prices came to an end. The exchange quickly grew tense
Trump announced in a Truth Social post on Friday that journalists from MS NOW, CNN and Politico would no longer be allowed into the White House, accusing the outlets of spreading “fake news” and undermining his administration
Melvin eventually cut in as Rubio argued that, although he did not “think” those specific examples had driven the decision, “there’s a trend line here.”
“With all due respect – with all due respect,” Melvin stammered while Rubio attempted to respond.
“Should media outlets be banned because the president does not like their coverage?” he asked emphatically.
Rubio countered that CNN, MS NOW and Politico “are not banned,” a response that appeared to further anger the morning-show host.
“They are banned! They’re banned from the White House,” Melvin exclaimed.
Rubio, 55, stressed that Trump’s Friday directive was not shutting down CNN or the other outlets. “What they want is access to the workspace that the president uses,” he said.
As Rubio continued, Melvin interjected twice: “Does it sit right with you?”
Rubio replied: “I think the White House feels very strongly – the president feels very strongly – that, ‘Why should I have people working in my building and in my office whom I believe are not honestly covering my administration?’”
Melvin appeared visibly frustrated by several of Rubio’s answers. The secretary said he did not “blame” Trump for the decision, while Melvin ended the interview appearing unsatisfied
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“That’s how he feels.”
“We’re not closing CNN. There aren’t police officers or soldiers breaking down the doors of MSNBC, MS NOW or whatever it’s called, arresting people or disconnecting it from the power grid.
“They simply are not allowed to work from the White House workspace.”
Melvin responded with a series of grimaces and knowing looks as Rubio made his case.
He then returned to his original question: Would the White House restriction also affect CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists who are part of Rubio’s own traveling press pool?
“Well, we haven’t discussed it,” Rubio replied. He emphasized that the move was “a decision the White House made about coverage in the White House.”
“But I’ll do a press conference today – I imagine there’ll be reporters there from every outlet. I don’t ask them who they’re with.” Rubio was later seen speaking with journalists from all three outlets.
Join the discussion
Should political leaders be able to decide which journalists can access government buildings?
CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a joint lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday. The complaint argues that “the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes” and repeatedly invokes the First Amendment
“I don’t think the White House is saying they cannot cover the president,” Rubio told Melvin.
“They’re all going to write stories and produce reports about the president. What he is arguing is, ‘Why should I have these people? What right do they have to be embedded in this building?’”
“They can cover the White House. They just can’t have a desk there.”
Melvin ended the interview with a curt “thanks.”
Trump announced the restriction in a Truth Social post on Friday, accusing the three outlets of publishing “fake news.”
CNN, MS NOW and Politico responded by filing a joint lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday. The federal complaint argues that “the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes.”
MS NOW changed its name from MSNBC back in November.
