At a Clinton Global Initiative summit, Bill Clinton said he had wanted to ban White House reporters but held back, citing the Constitution. His remarks came after Donald Trump barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.
Clinton’s remarks were likely a reference to his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, which rocked Washington in the late 1990s. Allegations that he covered it up led to his impeachment in December 1998; the Senate later acquitted him.
Trump said on Truth Social that media outlets should not report what he called “fiction and lies.” CNN, MS NOW and Politico sued, arguing the ban violated their First Amendment rights. On Thursday, Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the administration to temporarily reinstate their press badges. Journalists were reportedly still denied access at times, and the denials reportedly caused some to miss Chinese President Xi Jinping’s arrival for a White House state dinner.
