Today host Craig Melvin pressed Secretary of State Marco Rubio over Donald Trump’s decision to bar journalists from several media outlets from the White House.
Melvin, 47, raised the issue as their wide-ranging interview drew to a close Tuesday. The discussion had also covered artificial intelligence, domestic gas prices and the war in Iran.
“You have a pool of reporters who travel with you. Do you have any plans to ban any of those reporters as a result?” Melvin asked abruptly.
Rubio, who was attending the UN General Assembly in New York, initially appeared to sidestep the question. Instead, he explained why he said he “can’t blame” the president for imposing such a restriction.
“Look, I’ve got to be honest with you — maybe you’re not going to like hearing this,” Rubio told Melvin, whose frustration quickly became apparent.
“But I watch a lot of American news coverage, and in some cases, for example, it sounds like they’re rooting for Iran.”
The secretary continued: “It sounds like they highlight everything Iran says in its public statements as true, while portraying everything American officials say as wrong.”
Today host 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 neared its end. The exchange quickly turned tense
Trump announced Friday on Truth Social that journalists from MS NOW, CNN and Politico would no longer be allowed to enter the White House, accusing the outlets of publishing “fake news” and undermining his administration
Melvin eventually cut in as Rubio argued that, although he did not “think” those specific examples had influenced the decision, “there’s a trend line here.”
“With all due respect — with all due respect,” Melvin stammered as Rubio attempted to respond.
“Should media outlets be banned simply because the president does not like their coverage?” Melvin asked emphatically.
Rubio countered that CNN, MS NOW and Politico “are not banned,” prompting an even sharper reaction from the morning show host.
“They are banned! They’re banned from the White House,” Melvin exclaimed.
Rubio, 55, emphasized that Trump’s Friday directive had not shut down CNN or the other outlets. “What they want is access to the workspace that the president uses,” he said.
As Rubio continued, Melvin interrupted twice to ask: “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 who 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 seemingly unsatisfied
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“That’s how he feels.”
‘We’re not closing CNN. There aren’t a bunch of police officers or soldiers kicking down the doors of MSNBC, or MS NOW, or whatever it’s called, and arresting people and unplugging it from the grid.
‘They’re just not allowed to work at the workspace at the White House.’
Melvin offered viewers a series of grimaces and knowing glances as the secretary spoke.
He ultimately pivoted back to his first question – whether the White House ban will apply to Politico, MS NOW and CNN reporters who belong to Rubio’s own traveling pool of journalists.
‘Um, well we haven’t discussed it,’ Rubio replied. He emphasized how 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 seen engaging with journalists from all three outlets later on.
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Should political leaders have the power to control which journalists get access to government spaces?
CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a joint lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday It argues that ‘the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes’ and repeatedly cites the First Amendment
‘I don’t think The White House is saying they’re not able to cover the President,’ he told Melvin.
‘They’re going to all write stories and do stories 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 offered Rubio a curt ‘thanks’ before ending the interview.
Trump announced the ban in a Truth Social post on Friday, accusing the three outlets of engaging in ‘fake news.’
CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a joint lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday in response to the ban. The federal suit maintains that ‘the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes.’
MS NOW changed its name from MSNBC back in November.