CNN’s Brian Stelter: White House is Using Jim Acosta Fight as ‘Threat That Looms Over’ the Entire Press Corps

The White House has, for the time being, backed off its quest to revoke the credential of CNN’s Jim Acosta. But one of Acosta’s colleagues believes that, despite this backtrack, the episode still looms large in the briefing room.

Appearing on CNN Newsroom Monday, Brian Stelter stated his belief that nothing has been resolved, and the White House will use their battle with Acosta as something of a message to other reporters.

“I think that the White House wants to string this along, wants to make this a threat that looms over the entire White House press corps,” Stelter said.

The Reliable Sources host referred to a letter the White House sent Acosta informing him of ground rules for behavior at future press conferences.

“The letter to Acosta says, ‘If you refuse to follow our new rules in the future, we will take action in accordance with the rules set forth above,'” Stelter said. “So what’s the new rule? The new rule is, one question per reporter at a press conference. You get to ask one question, and ‘by the discretion of the president or White House officials taking questions, a follow-up may be permitted.’ So what they’re trying to do is they’re trying to establish some kind of ground rules within a press conference setting, so that nobody can act out of order.”

Stelter suggested that the new rules might be unsustainable.

“Longer term…we might end up back here in the future,” Stelter said. “Because if the White House is really going to try to enforce these rules, there could be further issues.”

Watch above, via CNN.

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