Wolf Blitzer called on his fellow journalists to protect the free press amid CNN’s legal battle with the Trump administration over its media restrictions.
The CNN anchor addressed the network’s fight to maintain access to the White House during his acceptance speech at the Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame ceremony on Tuesday, calling a free press “vital to our democracy.”
While reflecting on his 54-year career in journalism, including a stint as CNN’s White House correspondent during the Clinton administration, Blitzer admitted that he “never imagined that [being barred] was even possible.”
“I spent seven years on that assignment during President Bill Clinton’s administration,” he said. “I can tell you that neither he, nor any of his top aides, were always happy with my coverage, but I can also say they never once threatened to take away my White House press pass.”
He added: “They never once barred me from covering the White House, and I never imagined that that was even possible until recently. Which leads me to what’s going on in our country right now.”
Without naming Donald Trump directly, Blitzer appeared to touch on the current tension between the administration and the media.
“Undermining a free press in the United States of America is something I never thought would happen,” he noted. “And, all of us, must do everything we can to protect our constitutional right to a free press. It is vital to our democracy. As the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution says, and I’m quoting now: ‘Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech or of the press.’”
Before concluding his address, Blitzer took a moment to thank his “truly wonderful colleagues and friends at CNN,” adding, “They were my mentors, and they helped me every step of the way. They always made me a better journalist. I am beyond grateful to them.”
Blitzer’s comments came a day after CNN, MS NOW and Politico sought to extend a federal judge’s order temporarily restoring their access to the White House. In new court documents, the outlets warned that Trump would “reinstitute a complete ban” without it.
“The White House’s words and actions leave little doubt that it will immediately reinstitute a complete ban of CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO if allowed the opportunity,” the document noted. “Because the ban is an unlawful assault on the most fundamental First Amendment freedoms and will inflict irreparable harm on Plaintiffs and the public if not restrained, this Court should preliminarily enjoin its enforcement pending the resolution of this case.”
In response to the filing, a White House spokesperson told TheWrap, “President Trump is the most accessible President in history — holding open press events, regular gaggles and interviews, taking questions nearly every day, and speaking directly to the American people through social media. But if a reporter walks into an interview with their headline and narrative already decided, why do they need to be in the room? They can write their garbage from anywhere. Even after outlets were given access to the White House, they declined to cover various events proving this isn’t about access. It’s performative and dishonest.”
The drama all started on Sept. 18, when Trump took to Truth Social and shared that he was banning the three outlets from the White House for “constantly” writing negatively about his administration.
“Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America,” Trump wrote at the time. “Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow.”
Then, on Sept. 21, CNN, Politico and MS NOW sued Trump and his administration after their reporters were stripped of their White House access and credentials. However, the president stood firm in his decision in the wake of the suit, once again bemoaning in a follow-up Truth Social post that the outlets only write “negatively” about him.
Yet, last Thursday, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the White House to reinstate credentials for reporters at CNN, MS NOW and Politico. However, it wasn’t until noon that day that reporters were able to regain access.
Additionally, the White House then barred CNN from flying aboard Air Force One on Saturday, preventing the network from carrying out its duties covering Trump on behalf of the other major networks.
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