U.S. President Donald Trump inaugurated a new helicopter landing pad at the White House on Monday, but major television networks declined to provide coverage of the ceremony amid an ongoing dispute over press access to the White House.
Trump held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the South Lawn before departing aboard Marine One for New York, where he is scheduled to attend the United Nations General Assembly. The new helipad is intended to accommodate newer, more powerful helicopters that the administration says could damage the White House lawn.
The ceremony took place days after the Trump administration barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House grounds. The three news organizations have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the restrictions, arguing that the decision violates their First Amendment rights.
CNN had been scheduled to provide coverage as part of a rotating five-network television pool that includes ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC. After CNN was excluded, the other networks agreed not to participate in the planned pool coverage of Trump’s helipad ceremony.
The White House has defended its decision, arguing that access to the White House grounds is not guaranteed to every news organization. In a statement issued Monday, the administration said the First Amendment protects the right to publish but does not automatically guarantee a press credential or a position in the White House press pool.
The White House Correspondents’ Association and other media organizations have challenged that position, arguing that access should not be restricted because of the content or perceived tone of a news organization’s reporting. The dispute has now moved into federal court.
The helipad itself is part of a series of construction and renovation projects undertaken at the White House during Trump’s second term. Trump has described the new platform as a major improvement and said it would be useful for visiting dignitaries and presidential travel. The project has been estimated by Trump at up to $6 million, with the president saying it would be privately funded by Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky Aircraft.
The ceremony therefore unfolded against two separate developments: the completion of a new White House aviation facility and a continuing legal dispute over media access.
The lawsuits by CNN, MS NOW and Politico could ultimately determine how the administration’s press-access policies are applied and what limitations can be placed on journalists covering the presidency.
Swifteradio.com
