CNN will boycott White House Christmas party

William Cummings | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Trump wants to have a 'fake news' contest President Trump wants to have a contest for Fake News Trophy, to see who is the most dishonest news source, Fox isn’t in the running.

President Trump has called them, among other things, "dishonest," "fake news" and "a disgrace to good reporting." Now, they don't want to go to his Christmas party.

CNN said that it is skipping the White House Christmas party this year because of the abuse the president has continued to heap on the cable news network.

"CNN will not be attending this year's White House Christmas party," a CNN spokesperson said. "In light of the President's continued attacks on freedom of the press and CNN, we do not feel it is appropriate to celebrate with him as his invited guests. We will send a White House reporting team to the event and report on it if news warrants."

The news was first reported by Politico.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders seemed pleasd the folks from CNN wouldn't make it over for Friday's party, tweeting, "Finally, good news from @CNN."

The annual party has long been a time for members of the news media to socialize with the people they cover in the White House. But the relationship between Trump and CNN appears to have soured past the point of briefly putting aside differences for the sake of sharing some holiday spirits.

Trump has been insulting CNN for years, but the network seems to have been particularly peeved by the president's most recent attacks. On Saturday, Trump said CNN International is painting a poor and inaccurate picture of the U.S. for the world (but he said Fox News is "MUCH more important in the United States than CNN").

.@FoxNews is MUCH more important in the United States than CNN, but outside of the U.S., CNN International is still a major source of (Fake) news, and they represent our Nation to the WORLD very poorly. The outside world does not see the truth from them! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 25, 2017

CNN hit back against Trump's tweet.

"CNN and CNN International are not sponsored by any state, nor any autocrat, nor any political organization, and despite the constant criticism from the president, we are unwavering in our mission, free and independent as the press should be," CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer said Monday.

For nearly four decades, @CNN has been a constant here in the United States and around the world. Our journalists, in front of and behind the camera, risk their lives in the most dangerous of places, every day, so you know the truth. #FactsFirst 🍎https://t.co/tFIGl34ZzI — CNN Communications (@CNNPR) November 27, 2017

Monday, Trump suggested CNN and the other networks — excluding Fox — should compete for a "fake news trophy."

We should have a contest as to which of the Networks, plus CNN and not including Fox, is the most dishonest, corrupt and/or distorted in its political coverage of your favorite President (me). They are all bad. Winner to receive the FAKE NEWS TROPHY! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2017

This is not the first time Trump's combative relationship with the press has affected a traditional social event between the administration and the news media. Earlier this year, Trump skipped the White House Correspondents' Dinner just over a week after referring to the press as the "enemy of the American people."

President Trump: There should be a contest about which network is 'most dishonest'

Related: Trump's attacks on 'fake news' are increasingly global