White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer once said that only a dictatorship would prevent the media from access to public information. And just two months later he blocked several high-profile news outlets from the daily press briefing.

In December, Spicer promised that the Trump administration would never ban press access regardless of the President’s feelings on their news coverage. When Politico’s Jake Sherman asked Mr Spicer if the new administration would limit press access, he responded by saying the media is what “makes a democracy a democracy versus a dictatorship.”

“One of the things that the Trump campaign gained notoriety for, and was criticised for,” Mr Sherman began, “was banning reporters and banning outlets. You’ve said, I think, that that’s not going to happen?”

Mr Spicer replied: “Look, there’s a big difference between a campaign where it is a private venue using private funds and a government entity. I think we have a respect for the press when it comes to the government. That is something you can’t ban an entity from.

“I think, look, there’s a big difference between a campaign where it is a private venue using private funds and a government entity,” he continued. “And I think we have a respect for the press when it comes to the government, that that is something you can’t ban an entity from. You know conservative, liberal, otherwise I think that is what makes a democracy a democracy versus a dictatorship.”

Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing Show all 17 1 /17 Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing An empty podium is seen as an off camera briefing is held with a small group of reporters and White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer instead of the normal on camera briefing in the White House February 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing New York Times reporter, Glenn Thrush works in the Brady Briefing Room after being excluded from a press gaggle by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, on February 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. Mark Wilson/Getty Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing New York Times reporter, Glenn Thrush works in the Brady Briefing Room after being excluded from a press gaggle by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, on February 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. Mark Wilson/Getty Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing The Brady Briefing Room is shown after reporters were excluded from a press gaggle by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, on February 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. Mark Wilson/Getty Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing Reporters in the Brady Briefing Room listen to a tape from a press gaggle by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, on February 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. Mark Wilson/Getty Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing Glenn Thrush, chief White House political correspondent for the The New York Times, works in the briefing room after being excluded from an off camera "gaggle" meeting at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 24, 2017. Yuri Gripas/Reuters Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing Journalists work in the briefing room at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 24, 2017. Yuri Gripas/Reuters Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing Journalists leave after several major news organizations including CNN, The New York Times and Politico were excluded from an off camera "gaggle" meeting with White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer in his office that was held in place of the regular daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 24, 2017. Yuri Gripas/Reuters Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing An empty podium is seen as an off camera briefing is held with a small group of reporters and White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer instead of the normal on camera briefing in the White House February 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing The entrance to the Brady Briefing Room after reporters were excluded from a press gaggle by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, on February 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. Mark Wilson/Getty Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing A small group of reporters leave an off camera briefing held with White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer instead of the normal on camera briefing in the White House February 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing A small group of reporters leave an off camera briefing held with White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer instead of the normal on camera briefing in the White House February 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing Reporters wait to try and get access to an off camera briefing with White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer instead of the normal on camera briefing at the White House on February 24, 2017, in Washington, DC. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing Reporters wait to try and get access to an off camera briefing with White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer instead of the normal on camera briefing at the White House on February 24, 2017, in Washington, DC. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing Reporters wait to try and get access to an off camera briefing with White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer instead of the normal on camera briefing at the White House on February 24, 2017, in Washington, DC. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing Reporters leave after failing to get access to an off camera briefing with White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and a small group of reporters instead of the normal on camera briefing at the White House on February 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Reporters blocked from off-camera White House briefing Reporters talk after failing to get access to an off camera briefing with White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and a small group of reporters instead of the normal on camera briefing at the White House on February 24, 2017, in Washington DC. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

The news outlets blocked from the press briefing on Friday include organisations that President Trump has criticised by name. CNN, BBC, The New York Times, LA Times, New York Daily News, BuzzFeed, The Hill, and the Daily Mail were among the organisations banned from the meeting.