The news media went to war with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump following his press event at the new Trump hotel in Washington, D.C. Friday morning where he presented endorsements by Medal of Honor recipients and other veterans.
Trump had said beforehand the event would also feature a statement on the so-called birther controversy about President Barack Obama. Trump waited until the end of the event to announce his belief that Obama was born in the United States.
Trump then ended the event without taking questions from the press even though the event had been billed as a press conference. Enraged reporters stood on chairs screaming questions at Trump for five minutes but were ignored.
Following the event Trump conducted a tour of the hotel, but his staff restricted press pool coverage of the tour to a still photographer and videographer.
The press retaliated by deleting the video shot on the tour.
A source says Trump broadcast pool just erased tape of his tour of the hotel in protest of bait-and-switch w no editorial access.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) September 16, 2016
“A source says Trump broadcast pool just erased tape of his tour of the hotel in protest of bait-and-switch w no editorial access.”
Trump did not allow editorial presence on his photo-op tour – just cameras. Thus: TV nets won't distribute or use it
— Hallie Jackson (@HallieJackson) September 16, 2016
“Trump did not allow editorial presence on his photo-op tour – just cameras. Thus: TV nets won’t distribute or use it”
Politico reported the decision to erase the videotape of Trump was reached by a vote of Washington bureau chiefs.
According to members of the traveling press pool, after it was made clear that only still photographers and video cameras would be allowed on the pool, the Washington bureau chiefs of the various television networks convened an emergency conference call and agreed to pull the network camera and erase the footage of the tour.
“The pool rules state any event that is pooled with cameras, there has to be a pool producer. Due to the fact were not granted editorial access, as is customary, that decision was made and the footage was erased,” a member of the Trump traveling press told POLITICO.
So the campaign allowed a still camera and video camera to go w/ Trump on hotel tour. Print poolers or your tv producer was not allowed.
— Candace Smith Chekwa (@CandaceSmith_) September 16, 2016
“So the campaign allowed a still camera and video camera to go w/ Trump on hotel tour. Print poolers or your tv producer was not allowed.”
Pool producer Candace Smith with ABC News live tweeted being blocked from the tour.
So Trump is taking cameras ONLY on a hotel tour.There is no reporter with Trump as he gives "the press" a tour of his brand new hotel.
— Candace Smith Chekwa (@CandaceSmith_) September 16, 2016
“So Trump is taking cameras ONLY on a hotel tour.There is no reporter with Trump as he gives “the press” a tour of his brand new hotel.”
As the designated pool producer; attempted to go on pooled tour, as is customary. Was physically restrained from accompanying the camera.
— Candace Smith Chekwa (@CandaceSmith_) September 16, 2016
“As the designated pool producer; attempted to go on pooled tour, as is customary. Was physically restrained from accompanying the camera.”
As the designated pool producer; attempted to go on pooled tour, as is customary. Was physically restrained from accompanying the camera.
— Candace Smith Chekwa (@CandaceSmith_) September 16, 2016
“As the designated pool producer; attempted to go on pooled tour, as is customary. Was physically restrained from accompanying the camera.”
But this is all irrelevant. The fact is Trump didn't allow the official pool to go with him, successfully avoiding answering any questions.
— Candace Smith Chekwa (@CandaceSmith_) September 16, 2016
“But this is all irrelevant. The fact is Trump didn’t allow the official pool to go with him, successfully avoiding answering any questions.”
