As fallout continues to grip Washington over President Donald Trump’s unprecedented decision to ban three major media outlets from the White House, Zeteo’s Martin Pengelly and Asawin Suebsaeng floated an idea Monday that they argued could force the president to reverse course immediately.
The Trump administration was sued Monday by CNN, MS NOW and Politico after the three outlets were banned from the White House over the weekend, with plaintiffs alleging the ban to be a “direct assault on the First Amendment” and a “blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles.”
And, while the three media outlets are hoping to have a federal court reverse Trump’s decision, Pengelly and Suebsaeng floated another route that they argue could produce even faster results, one that plays directly on Trump’s ego.
“As reported by CNN’s Brian Stelter, lawsuits are coming. They will succeed. Last year, Trump tried to ban AP from the White House press pool and other events. A judge told him where to get off,” Pengelly and Suebsaeng wrote in an analysis published Monday in Zeteo.
“But by Sunday evening, as Trump prepared to head for the UN in New York, with CNN due to provide pool coverage, there was no sign of the most meaningful action press outlets could take: a simple, collective refusal to cover Trump closely until full access is restored.”
Trump has been described by his own officials as a “news junkie,” with members of Trump’s team often feeling compelled to “amplify good press” or “downplay unflattering stories as false” to remain in his “good graces.” Weaponizing Trump’s fixation on the press, Pengelly and Suebsaeng went on to argue, could prove to be even more effective at getting Trump to reverse his White House ban than pursuing legal action — but only, they noted, should the press be willing.
“Why would it work? As the Wall Street Journal reported in detail, Trump simply yearns for coverage. Always has, always will,” Pengelly and Suebsaeng wrote. “Trump’s happy to go for the burn. The White House press? Ultimately, it just wants a smooth ride.”