White House suspends Jim Acosta's press credentials — and made it sound like he assaulted a 'young woman'

The White House is suspending the press credentials of CNN's Jim Acosta after he angered Donald Trump during a press conference earlier in the day by asking why the president refers to the Latin American migrant caravan as an "invasion."

"As a result of today’s incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters.

Bloomberg's Jennifer Jacobs noted that the move "will deny unescorted entry" onto the White House grounds for Acosta.

Sanders cited the moment during the reporter's questioning when he rebuffed a female intern who physically attempted to push him back from the president's podium as the reason behind his suspension.

"President Trump believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration," Sanders said in a statement posted to Twitter. "We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern."

"This conduct is absolutely unacceptable," she continued. "It is also completely disrespectful to the reporter’s colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question. President Trump has given the press more access than any President in history."

Shortly after Sanders posted the explanation, Acosta, quoting the tweet, called the statement a "lie."