Daily Mail
· collected 2026-09-28 · by Stephen M. Lepore
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Attorney General Todd Blanche argued that Donald Trump's ban on some media outlets was solving a 'national security problem' caused by false reporting.
asserted
ban → sign → reporting
The President has recently banned MS NOW, CNN and Politico from the White House, with all three attempting to fight their way back in via the courts.
asserted
three → ban → courts
Blanche defended the President's position on ABC News Sunday when confronted with the administration's position that the ban was for national security reasons.
asserted
ban → defend → reasons
What they say is exactly the issue when it comes to national security,' he told Martha Raddatz.
asserted
he → say → Raddatz
Raddatz replied: 'Give us an example.'
asserted
Raddatz → reply → example
The attorney general seemed incredulous, asking: 'I'm sorry, wait, give you an example of when CNN doesn't report accurately?'
asserted
CNN → seem → example
'You cannot be asking me that!
asserted
You → ask → that
They don't even disagree.
asserted
They → disagree → ?
There's not even a real dispute that the information coming out of CNN and some of these other networks is wholly and completely, almost 100 percent negative towards the President,' he continued.
asserted
he → be → President
Raddatz again pressed Blanche on Judge Timothy Kelly's ruling, which decided the ban was not based on national security.
asserted
ban → press → security
Attorney General Todd Blanche argued that Donald Trump's ban on some mainstream media outlets was solving a 'national security problem' caused by false reporting
The President has recently banned MS Now, CNN and Politico from the White House, with all three attempting to fight their way back in via the courts
'
asserted
three → argue → courts
I'm not going to talk about the specifics of what the judge said, that wouldn't be right,' Blanche said.
asserted
Blanche → go → what
'What I'm talking about is the government's position and what the Department of Justice said in court, which is the same thing that President Trump has said repeatedly, which is at some point, the complete misinformation and the inaccuracy and the one-sided news out of certain organizations does become a national security issue — and it's not right for the people of the United States to have to put up with.
asserted
people → talk → States
Things continued to escalate as Raddatz asked if the White House was going to start screening members of the press before they get onto a flight with Trump or entered the White House.
asserted
they → continue → House
'I did not say that!
asserted
I → say → that
No, no, I did not say that!
asserted
I → say → that
You don't get to put words in my mouth!'
asserted
You → get → mouth
Raddatz admitted Blanche had 'a right to defend yourself there.'
asserted
Blanche → admit → yourself
He replied: 'I'm not defending myself!
asserted
I → reply → myself
You said I said something that I didn't say!'
asserted
I → say → that
Ultimately, he believes that the press can 'report whatever they want' but that access to the White House is never guaranteed.
'When it comes to the White House, it is the people's house.
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it → believe → House
It is a privilege and not a right to be there,' he said.
asserted
he → say → ?
Blanche became irate when anchor Martha Raddatz (pictured) asked him to explain why the outlets were a security threat
Americans should expect that everything the press reads should have 'even a whiff of accuracy about what's actually happening' and that if it doesn't, the President has a right to call it out.
asserted
President → become → it
'And if that's not happening, then it is absolutely the president's duty to make sure that the American people are hearing accurate news.
asserted
people → happen → news
It doesn't have to be good for the president.
asserted
It → have → president
It doesn't have to be everything's positive about what is happening in the administration,' he said.
asserted
he → have → administration
The President banned the news outlets last Friday in a fiery social media post accusing them of peddling 'fake news.'
asserted
President → ban → news
He was reportedly shown a slate of negative coverage from the outlets by his aide Natalie Harp in the moments before the ban was announced.
uncertain
ban → show → moments
Still, a Politico reporter's credentials were confiscated on Thursday after the ruling allowing re-entry took effect.
asserted
ruling → confiscate → effect
An MS NOW reporter also had their credentials taken and was denied access, the outlet reported.
asserted
outlet → have → access
The three outlets filed their lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday and the case has rapidly progressed.
asserted
case → file → Monday
In solidarity with the banned outlets, major broadcasters like Fox News, NBC, CBS and ABC – known as the TV pool responsible for covering presidential coverage on a rotating basis – have refused to cover the President in response.
asserted
broadcasters → ban → response
It was believed the White House had made a U-turn on its media ban on Thursday, allowing reporters back in after initially turning them away before Xi Jinping and Donald Trump's summit.
asserted
House → believe → summit
'CNN was allowed back into the White House on Thursday at noon,' host Kaitlan Collins posted on X after the debacle.
asserted
Collins → allow → debacle
Covered positions television reporting positions on the North Lawn of the White House are seen with the West Wing in the background at the White House
That came after US District Judge Timothy Kelly granted a temporary restraining order early Thursday morning, effectively forcing the Trump administration to restore access to Politico, CNN and MS NOW, which the President banned last Friday.
The order will remain in place for 14 days while the legal battle plays out.
Kelly indicated early in the hearing that he was skeptical of the president's decision to revoke access for select journalists, noting that the White House did not give them 'constitutionally adequate due process.'
Responding to the ruling, Ted Boutrous, the lawyer representing the news outlets, told CNN: 'This is a strong ruling vindicating freedom of the press, due process and the rule of law.
asserted
This → cover → law
We greatly appreciate the court's swift action.'
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We → appreciate → action
The White House was prepared for the ruling in favor of the media outlets, as Trump admitted Tuesday he would 'probably' let the banned outlets return if the courts ordered him to do so.
asserted
courts → admit → him
Trump also acknowledged on social media that Kelly would rule in their favor.
'
asserted
Kelly → acknowledge → favor
They have drawn a great Judge, for them, a man who ruled in favor of Jim Acosta, who now seems to have disappeared from the Planet,' the President wrote, vowing in advance to appeal the ruling.
asserted
President → draw → ruling
Kelly was appointed by President Trump to the federal district court in Washington in 2017.
asserted
Kelly → appoint → 2017
…and 20 more, not listed.
The Aporia
