White House on CNN hecklers: ‘We support freedom of speech’

The White House on Wednesday did not condemn a group of people who heckled a CNN reporter at President Trump’s rally in Tampa, Fla. 

“While we support freedom of the press, we also support freedom of speech. Those things go hand in hand,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said when asked whether Trump supports that behavior. 

Trump on Tuesday used his Twitter account to promote a video of his supporters chanting “CNN sucks” at network correspondent Jim Acosta while he was live on air from the rally. 

{mosads}

Acosta also posted a video of the hecklers on his Twitter account, calling it a “sad scene.”

Just a sample of the sad scene we faced at the Trump rally in Tampa. I’m very worried that the hostility whipped up by Trump and some in conservative media will result in somebody getting hurt. We should not treat our fellow Americans this way. The press is not the enemy. pic.twitter.com/IhSRw5Ui3R

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) August 1, 2018

The incident was the latest example of the president’s dislike for CNN, which he has repeatedly blasted as “fake news.” 

Trump also refused to take a question from Acosta during a press conference last month with British Prime Minister Theresa May. 

The White House last week barred another CNN reporter, Kaitlan Collins, from covering a press event after she asked Trump questions about his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen.