Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) defended President Trump’s decision to ban reporters from CNN, Politico, and MS NOW from White House access this past Sunday.
Salazar made her comments during an appearance on CBS News’s “Face the Nation,” speaking directly with anchor Margaret Brennan about the controversial press restrictions.
“I think that he has his own style and that he will determine who he wants to talk to,” Salazar told Brennan, framing the bans as a matter of presidential preference rather than press freedom concern.
Salazar continued, saying that “with social media and with all the different outlets out there for people to receive information, I am sure that those journalists are going to be able to cover the president the way that you — you know, free speech, the way you determine.”
The Florida congresswoman also echoed talking points used by other Republicans and administration officials, calling Trump “the most accessible president in [recent] years that has been talking to the media.”
Salazar’s defense carries a certain professional weight, given her own extensive background in broadcast journalism before entering politics.
She spent 30 years working for the Spanish-language television network Telemundo, and also held positions at both CNN Español and Univision during her media career.
Her prior experience at CNN itself makes her defense of a CNN reporter ban particularly notable, as she is well acquainted with the network’s journalism operations firsthand.
The bans on CNN, Politico, and MS NOW reporters represent a significant escalation in the ongoing tension between the Trump administration and mainstream press outlets.
Critics have argued that restricting specific outlets from White House access sets a dangerous precedent for press freedom, a cornerstone of American democratic norms.
Supporters of the move, including Salazar and fellow Republicans, contend that Trump’s willingness to engage broadly across other media platforms mitigates concerns about restricted access for specific reporters.
The debate over White House press access is expected to continue as media organizations and First Amendment advocates weigh potential legal and institutional responses to the restrictions.
