WHCA: Trump's threat on credentials is 'unconscionable assault on the First Amendment'

Jessica Estepa | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Trump threatens to revoke press credentials over 'fake news' coverage President Trump in a new threat seemed to suggest taking away news networks’ press credentials over so called “fake news” coverage. Nathan Rousseau Smith has the story.

Hours after President Trump pondered whether his administration should take away credentials from media outlets, the White House Correspondents' Association said doing so would be "unconscionable."

"Some may excuse the president’s inflammatory rhetoric about the media, but just because the president does not like news coverage does not make it fake," WHCA President Margaret Talev said. "A free press must be able to report on the good, the bad, the momentous and the mundane, without fear or favor."

Talev, a reporter for Bloomberg, continued: " And a president preventing a free and independent press from covering the workings of our republic would be an unconscionable assault on the First Amendment."

Talev was responding to a Wednesday morning tweet from the president, in which he complained about "fake news."

"Why do we work so hard in working with the media when it is corrupt?" he wrote. "Take away credentials?"

The Fake News is working overtime. Just reported that, despite the tremendous success we are having with the economy & all things else, 91% of the Network News about me is negative (Fake). Why do we work so hard in working with the media when it is corrupt? Take away credentials? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018

The president appeared to be referencing a report on Fox and Friends that was based on a study by the right-leaning Media Research Center.

The "91% negative" data that spurred Trump to float pulling media credentials is a Media Research Center report aired on Fox & Friends this morning.



Left, Fox & Friends, 6:09 am

Right, Trump, 7:38 am pic.twitter.com/f3M2l5hvdg — Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) May 9, 2018

It's far from the only time the president has attacked the media over its coverage of him. He's mentioned "fake news" on Twitter 187 times since taking office.

Additionally, his presidential campaign blocked some outlets from receiving credentials throughout part of the election cycle. That ended two months ahead of Election Day.