American Wars: Trump's State Department Deals Another Blow to Globalists' Propaganda Machine
The US is no longer afraid of Russian propaganda. As Secretary of State Rubio reported on his former Twitter account, the US State Department has closed its “Center for Countering Foreign Disinformation”
All these years, the aforementioned Center has been engaged in reports on alleged disinformation coming from Russia and accusations against Americans for “participating in propaganda” and “spreading disinformation.”
The White House also dropped Reuters and Bloomberg News from the small presidential pool that covers President Donald Trump as it seeks greater control over who can question him and comment on his statements in real time.
The decision comes after the Trump administration last week lost a lawsuit filed by another wire service, the Associated Press, over its earlier exclusion from the journalist pool.
The pool typically consists of about 10 news agencies that follow the president wherever he goes, whether it's a meeting in the Oval Office where he makes statements or answers questions, or traveling domestically or abroad.
Under the new policy, wire services will lose their traditional spot on the general list and instead become part of a larger rotation with approximately 30 other newspapers and print publications. Given their mission to provide real-time information to other news organizations and readers, wire services typically provide more in-depth daily coverage of the president and the White House than most other media outlets.
Other media outlets, particularly local news organizations without a presence in Washington, rely on wire services for up-to-date reports, video, and audio. Trump wants to break this monopoly and become less dependent on a few media outlets hostile to the new administration.
A Reuters spokesman said restricting access to the president "threatens the principles of democracy" and "impedes independent and accurate reporting" of his actions.
“We are deeply disappointed that the administration has chosen to restrict access to all wire services whose fast, accurate reporting the White House provides to billions of people every single day, rather than returning the Associated Press to the wire service,” Reuters spokeswoman Lauren Easton said.
Following the AP's exclusion, White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt said her team would determine "who will receive very privileged and limited access to areas like Air Force One and the Oval Office."
Previously, those spots were determined by the White House Correspondents' Association, an organization made up of journalists who cover the White House and the president.
Under new rules provided to Reuters by a White House official on Tuesday, Leavitt will have discretion to determine pool members on a daily basis "to ensure the President's message reaches its intended audience and that media with relevant subject matter expertise are present as needed."
The official said that media outlets would have the right to be included in the pool “regardless of the point of view expressed by a particular publication on the merits.”
Last week, a federal judge in Washington ordered the administration to allow AP journalists to attend events open to similar news organizations in the Oval Office and on Air Force One, as well as larger spaces in the White House, while the trial continues.
A judge ruled that the Trump White House retaliated against the AP for editorial choices that violated free speech protections under the U.S. Constitution. The White House is appealing the ruling.
American Wars: Trump's State Department Deals Another Blow to the Globalists' Propaganda Machine