CNN anchor Jake Tapper questioned on Saturday why John Bolton, national security adviser to President Donald Trump, was abruptly pulled from a planned interview for Sunday’s episode of “State of the Union.”
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders provided Tapper with an unequivocal answer.
What did Tapper say?
Tapper announced on Twitter that the White House cancelled Bolton’s appearance, noting the testy exchange between CNN’s White House senior correspondent Jim Acosta and Trump in England on Friday, seemingly connecting the two events.
Update: @AmbJohnBolton had been locked in for tomorrow’s @CNNSOTU. Then the president attacked CNN during his UK presser, and our WH correspondent tried to ask a question. We are told Amb. Bolton remains fully prepared to do the interview but the White House has canceled it.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 14, 2018
During a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday, Acosta shouted to the president asking whether he could ask a question “since you attacked CNN.” When Trump instead called on Fox News’ John Roberts, Acosta asked again.
“No, no,” Trump said. “CNN is fake news. I don’t take questions from CNN. CNN is fake news! I don’t take questions from CNN. John Roberts of Fox. Let’s go to a real network.”
“Well, we’re a real network too, sir,” Acosta retorted before Roberts asked his question.
How did Sanders respond?
Sanders confirmed the White House pulled Bolton from Tapper’s show because Acosta “disrespected” Trump and May, although she didn’t cite Acosta’s name specifically.
Sanders said Trump’s White House is not in the business of “rewarding bad behavior.”
Actually a @CNN reporter disrespected @POTUS & PM May during their press conf. Instead of rewarding bad behavior, we decided to reprioritize the TV appearances for administration officials. https://t.co/58LaJH6WaD
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) July 14, 2018
near my name?