News organizations protested a White House decision Friday to hold a news briefing by invitation only.
The briefing list excluded CNN and the New York Times, outlets with which President Trump and the administration has clashed over reports on investigations into possible contacts between Trump associates and Russia during last year’s election campaign.
Organizations such as Politico, the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed, and USA TODAY did not receive invitations to the on-the-record gaggle conducted by White House press secretary Sean Spicer.
“We don’t need to do an on-camera briefing every day,” Spicer told reporters.
The Associated Press and Time declined to attend the session, while the White House Correspondents Association said in a statement it is “protesting strongly” against the way the event was handled.
USA TODAY did not receive an invitation and opted not to try to attend the session.
Attendance was limited to the day’s pool — a group of reporters that represent newspaper, television, radio and wire at presidential events where there is not enough room for full coverage — and a smattering of other news organizations, some of them considered favorable to the Trump administration.
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SOURCE: USA Today, David Jackson
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