What’s at stake in President Trump’s showdown with the press?

Consider This from NPR

The episode examines the escalating conflict between President Trump and the White House press corps following his decision to ban CNN, Politic

Key takeaways

• President Trump announced an immediate ban on CNN, Politico, and MSNOW via a Truth Social post.
• CNN reporter Betsy Cline reported that the Secret Service confiscated her press pass, preventing entry to the White House.

Main topics

• White House press ban
• First Amendment rights

Notable quotes

I don't think somebody should be allowed to come in and write fake news.

Conclusion

The episode highlights the tension between executive power and press f

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:00) It's Consider This, where every day we go deep on one big news story. Today, the battle over a White House press ban has escalated. It started with a truth social post from President Trump Friday afternoon. In it, he announced an immediate ban of three news outlets from the White House, CNN, Politico, and MSNOW, known until recently as MSNBC. I Speaker 4 (0:23) don't think somebody should be allowed to come in and write fake news. Speaker 1 (0:28) Speaking to the press later that day, Trump made it clear this was about coverage he didn't like. Speaker 4 (0:33) It's sick. I mean, there's something wrong with it. A country that can allow people to write purposely negative shares. Now, if they want to write them, that's fine. But I don't have to let them into the people's house. Speaker 1 (0:48) By Saturday morning, the ban had gone into effect, and reporters like CNN's Betsy Cline were barred from entry. Speaker 7 (0:55) So I walk in, I tap my badge, and it beeps a couple of different times. It turns red, blue, and green, and it didn't accept my PIN number. Speaker 1 (1:05) She delivered that news in a live hit on the sidewalk outside the White House complex. She held up the empty plastic sleeve that used to hold her press pass. She said the Secret Service had confiscated it. This is the latest in a string of attacks on the media during Trump's second term. And it drew a forceful response. On Monday, the five networks that coordinate television coverage of the president agreed to suspend that coverage. Speaker 1 (1:35) Consider this. The White House and the press corps are fighting about what access precisely is guaranteed by the First Amendment. We will ask a longtime White House correspondent what's at stake. From NPR, I'm Scott Detrow. Speaker 5 (1:55) If you've ever found yourself doom-scrolling and thinking, wait, who decided this was a story? You're not alone. I'm Brooke Gladstone, co-host of WNYC's On The Media. Each week, we ask those kinds of questions and more. Because once you see how the system operates, you'll never consume media the same way again. Listen to On The Media wherever you get your podcasts. Speaker 3 (2:18) This week on Up First, we talk about the economy. Trucks, trains and tractors run on diesel, which is now priced at record highs, with less than 50 days until the midterm elections. So the next six weeks are going to be intense. Let Up First get you through it one morning at a time with three stories you need to know each day. Listen to Up First on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Speaker 8 (2:41) Austin Tice is an American journalist who disappeared over a decade ago while reporting. in Syria. And for years, we've been searching for him. Speaker 5 (2:51) This looks like a secret passage. I'm just Speaker 8 (2:54) pushing the door so you can get in. Go, go, go. Listen to Where Is Austin Tice from NPR's Embedded and BBC Radio 4 on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Speaker 1 (3:11) It's Consider This from NPR. You might not have ever heard of the White House TV pool, but you have probably seen