President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign announced Monday that it will no longer provide credentials to Bloomberg News reporters after the corporate news outlet ended investigations into 2020 Democrat candidates in the wake of its billionaire owner, Michael Bloomberg, launching a bid for the presidency.
Late last month, Bloomberg joined the crowded Democrat primary field, prompting Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait to announce that the news organization would refrain from investigating the owner and his family, calling the decision a “tradition” of journalism. However, Micklethwait said reporters will continue to investigate President Trump and his administration.
“The decision by Bloomberg News to formalize preferential reporting policies is troubling and wrong,” Brad Parscale, President Trump’s 2020 campaign manager, said in a statement Monday.
“Bloomberg News has declared that they won’t investigate their boss or his Democrat competitors, many of whom are current holders of high office, but will continue critical reporting on President Trump,” Parscale continued. “Since they have declared their bias openly, the Trump campaign will no longer credential representatives of Bloomberg News for rallies or other campaign events.”
Parscale concluded by saying that the campaign will decide how it will engage Bloomberg News reporters on a “case-by-case basis.”
“This will remain the policy of the Trump campaign until Bloomberg News publicly rescinds its decision,” he said.
Republican National Committee (RNC) chairwoman Ronna McDaniel expressed support for the Trump campaign’s decision, tweeting: “Media outlets should be independent and fair, and this decision proves that Bloomberg News is neither. The @GOP stands with @TeamTrump and will no longer credential Bloomberg representatives.”
Media outlets should be independent and fair, and this decision proves that Bloomberg News is neither.
The @GOP stands with @TeamTrump and will no longer credential Bloomberg representatives. https://t.co/nxWiBbEI0s
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) December 2, 2019
The move sparked fury and confusion from reporters, who questioned the feasibility of the decision.
The big question now is whether or how this applies to Bloomberg WH reporters who are a part of the pool
If those reporters are barred from covering any Trump campaign event or rally, this will be a MUCH bigger deal. For now that distinction leaves the campaign some wiggle room
— Alayna Treene (@alaynatreene) December 2, 2019
Bloomberg News is full of talented, meticulous and fair-minded reporters who abhor the decision their bosses made. Mike Bloomberg made clear he wouldn’t tolerate critical coverage from his own outlet, so the only choice was quit or execute his wishes.
— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) December 2, 2019
Well. Okay. Bloomberg is among the three wires that travel to ALL Trump events, including rallies, as part of the travel pool.
Is the campaign saying they’re going to make them sit outside?@whca? pic.twitter.com/xW3dGZVwnb
— S.V. Dáte (@svdate) December 2, 2019
The Bloomberg situation is tough. If you’re not going to let your reporters investigate you, then they can’t investigate your rivals, but Trump is one of your rivals, which means you can’t investigate the president, which means you probably have to abandon all political coverage.
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) December 2, 2019
And so, while it’s not ideal, the best available option is to undo the ban on Bloomberg News investigations into Bloomberg or his Democratic rivals. Because if the case Bloomberg News is making is that it’s impartial, then it can be impartial in going about those investigations.
— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) December 2, 2019
Shortly after the decision, Micklethwait issued a statement slamming the ban, arguing that the Trump campaign’s characterization of their editorial policies “couldn’t be further from the truth.”
“We have covered Donald Trump fairly and in an unbiased way since he became a candidate in 2015 and will continue to do so despite the restrictions imposed by the Trump campaign,” said Micklethwait.
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