Just hours after President Donald Trump called CNN political reporter Jim Acosta a "rude, terrible person" during a post-midterm press conference, the White House suspended the journalist's credentials on Wednesday night – a move that prompted outrage from the cable network and press freedom advocates called a "clear attack on the First Amendment."

The US Secret Service just asked for my credential to enter the WH. As I told the officer, I don’t blame him. I know he’s just doing his job. (Sorry this video is not rightside up) pic.twitter.com/juQeuj3B9R — Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 8, 2018

As CNN reports:

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders announced in a statement that Acosta would be stripped of what's known as a "hard pass," which gives him access to the White House grounds. Around the same time, Acosta was stopped at the White House's Pennsylvania Avenue gate where reporters usually enter. He was heading back to the White House for a live shot on "Anderson Cooper 360."

The White House Corespondents Association, which advocates on behalf of the press corps, issued the following statement in response:

WHCA statement on White House decision on credentials. pic.twitter.com/bukK7CGu2G — WHCA (@whca) November 8, 2018

In a statement by the network, CNN said: "This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better. Jim Acosta has our full support."

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When Sanders later tweeted a statement saying Trump "believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration" and that the suspension was due to the reporter's "putting his hands on" an White House press intern, Acosta simply responded: "This is a lie."

Meanwhile, critics of the move—including fellow journalists—unleashed on the White House online: