A San Diego-based television station said that CNN appeared to withdraw from an inquiry for one of its reporters to appear on the cable news network due to the station’s past reporting on the effectiveness of the border wall.
“Thursday morning, CNN called the KUSI Newsroom asking if a reporter could give them a local view of the debate surrounding the border wall and government shutdown,” KUSI said in a statement issued late Jan. 10.
“After we informed them about our past reports, they declined to hear from us.”
“We believe CNN declined a report from KUSI because we informed them that most Border Patrol Agents we have spoken to told us the barrier does in fact work,” it said.
“We have continuously been told by Border Patrol Agents that the barrier along the Southern border helps prevent illegal entries, drugs, and weapons from entering the United States, and the numbers prove it,” KUSI added.
CNN responded in a statement, claiming the allegations were fake news.
CNN airs stories that are almost exclusively negative toward President Donald Trump and his policy goals. The network rarely invites reporters or analysts that are supportive of Trump onto its shows and regularly has panels that are comprised entirely of people who don’t agree with Trump on whatever story they choose to focus on for the day.
CNN has been involved in several stories recently, as its reporters and analysts inject themselves into national debates. Jim Acosta, a White House correspondent, filmed a video at the border wall on Jan. 10, and tried to downplay President Donald Trump’s claims of a crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
“Here are some of the steel slats that the president’s been talking about,” Acosta said in front of the border wall. “But as we’re walking along here, we’re not seeing any kind of imminent danger.”
Speaking from the Texas city of McAllen, he added: “There are no migrants trying to rush toward this fence.”
A number of people noted that Acosta appeared to be supporting Trump.
After President Trump answered the reporter’s question at length, she started shouting a follow-up question. Eventually, a White House worker took the mic from her since Trump called on someone else.