The hosts of “Morning Joe” reacted live Monday to MS NOW, CNN and Politico’s lawsuit against the Trump administration over President Trump’s White House ban on them, calling the president’s move an “all-out assault against the press.”
Trump announced Friday he was banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House “effective immediately.” He accused the three organizations of reporting “fake news” about him and his administration. In response, the three news outlets filed a joint lawsuit Monday against the president. CNN, MS NOW and Politico wrote in a joint statement that they filed the suit because “the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes.”
“The complaint alleges that the White House is retaliating for lawful news-gathering based on viewpoint discrimination,” MS NOW legal affairs reporter Fallon Gallagher then explained on “Morning Joe” Monday. “We are asking a federal judge in Washington, D.C., to get our access restored and have those credentials that were confiscated over the weekend restored to all of our journalists at all three of our news organizations.”
“Let’s be clear: This will not stop the press from doing its job,” co-host Jonathan Lemire added. “It will not stop journalists at MS NOW and the other two outlets from doing their job and reporting on the Trump administration and bringing what we learn to our viewers, to the American public.”
Lemire went on to categorize Trump’s press ban as the latest effort in his “all-out assault against the press.” The “Morning Joe” co-host also explained why he believes the president’s move against MS NOW, CNN and Politico may actually hurt him in the longterm.
“Being able to explain to the people your views, your policy decisions, why you are making moves that impact their lives, that’s part of the press’ job. [It’s] hurting the president when he does this,” Lemire explained. “It also wreaks of desperation. He knows his poll numbers [are] in the low to mid-30s, and that his policies are unpopular with voters. He knows the midterms are rapidly approaching, so he comes after the press instead.”
“He’s not able to sell the job he’s doing. So he attacks the messenger,” he continued. “He also, of course, reiterates the bubble that he lives in, this information echo chamber, where he’s convinced himself that the good news he has printed out and handed to him by aides is reality, when it is very much not.”
For his part, Trump insisted his administration is “not instituting an assault on the Free Press,” which he cherishes: “It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS, something that has grown like Cancer in our beloved United States of America. It is corrupt, purposeful, pervasive, fully coordinated and totally out of control. It is a threat to our National Security, and must be stopped, NOW!”
