CNN’s Jim Acosta slams reason for White House press pass suspension: 'This is a lie'

Johnny Lieu
Updated

Trump's fiery exchange with CNN's White House correspondent Jim Acosta has led to the reporter's press credentials being revoked.

On Wednesday evening, Acosta tweeted that he was denied entry to the White House grounds by the Secret Service, after his pass was taken off him.

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A video posted by Acosta shows a Secret Service officer informing the reporter that he was "just told to do it."

"Obviously no hard feelings toward the officer, but I am now giving my hard pass to the Secret Service," Acosta said in the clip. The officer can be then seen removing the pass off Acosta's lanyard.

In a series of tweets, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders later confirmed the indefinite suspension of Acosta's pass, accusing the reporter of "placing his hands" on a White House intern during Trump's press conference on Wednesday afternoon.

Acosta called the accusation a lie.

Sanders added Trump "believes in a free press and welcomes tough questions," and that he has given the press "more access than any President in history." 

"The fact that CNN is proud of the way their employee behaved is not only disgusting, it's an example of their outrageous disregard for everyone, including young women, who work in this Administration," Sanders wrote.

"As a result of today’s incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice."

So, what actually happened? At the press conference on Wednesday, Acosta asked Trump about why he characterized the migrant caravan heading toward the U.S. as an invasion, a question which the president lost his patience with.

"That's enough," Trump said, repeatedly telling Acosta to put down the microphone. 

The intern in question goes to grab the microphone from Acosta, but the reporter turns away, then moves his other arm to block the intern from taking the microphone another time.

CNN issued a statement on Twitter in full support of its chief White House correspondent, backing up Costa's assertion that Sanders' accusation was a blatant lie. 

The news outlet said Costa's press pass was revoked "in retaliation for his challenging questions at today's press conference," and that Sanders had "provided fraudulent accusations and cited an incident that never happened."

"This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better," the statement concluded.

Suitably, people had a lot to say about the Trump administration's accusation.

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