by Lisa de Moraes
\nDeadline.com<\/p>\n
UPDATED throughout with responses from various media outlets:<\/strong> Shortly after President Donald Trump<\/a> vowed to \u201cdo something\u201d about the \u201ccunning\u201d media who he\u2019s called \u201cthe enemy\u201d of the American people, CNN<\/a> announced on air it, and other members of the press, had been barred from today\u2019s White House briefing.<\/p>\n Related:\u00a0Donald Trump Vows To Bar Use Of Unnamed Sources And “Do Something About” The “Cunning” Press<\/a><\/p>\n CNN reports The New York Times<\/a>, The Los Angeles Times<\/em>, and Politico<\/a> also were told they were not on the White House list for today\u2019s off-camera briefing. The Washington Post reports it did not have a reporter present, at the time.<\/p>\n The New York Times<\/em>\u00a0also reported that it, CNN and Politico were not allowed to enter White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer\u2019s office, calling it \u201can unsual breach of protocol.\u201d<\/p>\n Breitbart, Fox News, Washington Times, and One America News Network were among those given entry, CNN reported.<\/p>\n \u201cNothing like this has ever happened at the White House in our long history of covering multiple administrations of different parties,\u201d NYT executive editor Dean Baquet said in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cWe strongly protest the exclusion of The New York Times and the other news organizations. Free media access to a transparent government is obviously of crucial national interest.\u201d<\/p>\n Fox News Channel host Bret Baier, however, insisted this was not a first, tweeting\u00a0 \u201csome at CNN & NYT stood w\/Fox News when the Obama admin attacked us & tried 2 exclude us.\u201d<\/p>\n And, Ari Fleischer, who served as White House press secretary for George W. Bush, recommended the media stop hyperventilating. He called today\u2019s move an unwise move for the White House press secretary, but reminded that presidents \u201cself-select\u201d media with whom to meet. Baquet may be correct in saying it has never been done before by a press secretary, but it has often been done by POTUS from both parties, Fleischer insisted on CNN. White House press corps should be thanking Trump, he suggested, because he has made them interesting again.<\/p>\n Today\u2019s off-camera gaggle is distinct from the formal on-camera White House Press Briefing, held in the White House\u2019s official briefing room and led by Spicer, which is not scheduled to take place today. It is not unusual to forego the on-camera press briefing on days when POTUS delivers a major speech, as happened this morning at CPAC.<\/p>\n CNN reports it was told by Spicer that the briefing was intended as a much smaller pool-coverage gathering, which typically means one print reporter, one radio reporter, etc. Spicer said he decided to expand the list of invitees as he saw fit, to include conservative-leaning news organizations; Spicer told CNN the intent was not to exclude certain news orgs, the cable news outlet reported.<\/p>\n But CNN reports it is the only major television network blocked from briefing.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is an unacceptable development by the Trump White House,\u201d CNN said this afternoon in a statement. \u201cApparently this is how they retaliate when you report facts they don\u2019t like.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll keep reporting regardless.\u201d<\/p>\n The White House Correspondents Association has protested today\u2019s move, and some organizations, including Associated Press and Time magazine, have said they are boycotting, though it\u2019s unclear if they were on the Trump Administrations list of the Invited.<\/p>\n Shortly before news of the briefing broke, Trump promised his administration is going to \u201cdo something about\u201d the press, telling CPAC attendees he wants to bar use of unnamed sources.<\/p>\n \u201cThey shouldn\u2019t be allowed to use sources unless they use somebody\u2019s name,\u2019 Trump told an enthusiastic crowd of conservatives at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference gathering outside Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n