White House backs down from fight with CNN, restores press credential for reporter Jim Acosta

Bart Jansen and William Cummings | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Acosta access to White House restored The White House revoked easy access for a CNN reporter and the network sued. A court order restored the pass, but the case is moving forward. Have presidents tried this before?

WASHINGTON – The White House backed down Monday from a fight with CNN over its decision to revoke the press credentials of reporter Jim Acosta, writing in a letter to the reporter that it made a "final determination" to give him back his badge.

The White House also said it was establishing new rules for conduct at presidential press conferences. "Should you refuse to follow these rules in the future, we will take action in accordance with the rules set forth above. The President is aware of this decision and concurs," the letter said.

CNN had sued in U.S. District Court to get the press pass back, and dropped the case Monday after the White House decision.

The new rules include limiting reporters to a single question each, with follow-ups permitted "at the discretion of the President or other White House officials."

"We have created these rules with a degree of regret," said Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary. "We would have greatly preferred to continue hosting White House press conferences in reliance on a set of understood professional norms, and we believe the overwhelming majority of journalists covering the White House share that preference. But, given the position taken by CNN, we now feel obligated to replace previously shared practices with explicit rules."

The White House suspended Acosta's credential Nov. 7, after a contentious exchange with Trump during a news conference when the president called Acosta a "rude, terrible person."

In response, CNN filed a lawsuit – backed by several media outlets, including USA TODAY – demanding the return of Acosta's credentials. On Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee, granted the request and ordered Acosta's pass restored while the rest of the case played out.

Kelly said the White House had violated Acosta’s Fifth Amendment right to due process by suspending his press badge without explanation or a chance for CNN to appeal.

Later Friday, the White House sent CNN a letter that said Acosta's press pass could be revoked again right after a temporary restraining order granted by a federal judge expired after 14 days.

But the letter Monday detailed several new rules for reporter conduct at presidential press conferences, including "a single question" from each journalist. Follow-ups will only be permitted "at the discretion of the President or other White House officials."

Sanders said the new rules are:

•A journalist called upon to ask a question will ask a single question and then will yield the floor to other journalists.

•At the discretion of the president or other White House official taking questions, a follow-up question or questions may be permitted. When a follow up has been allowed and asked, the questioner will then yield the floor.

•“Yielding the floor” includes, when applicable, physically surrendering the microphone to White House staff for use by the next questioner.

•Failure to abide by any of rules may result in suspension or revocation of the journalist’s hard pass.

"If unprofessional behavior occurs in those settings, or if a court should decide that explicit rules are required to regulate conduct there, we will be forced to reconsider this decision," Sanders said.

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In an interview with "Fox News Sunday" that was taped on Friday, Trump said his staff is currently drafting those rules in response to Kelly's ruling restoring Acosta's credentials.

"And if he misbehaves, we’ll throw him out or we’ll stop the news conference," Trump said.