White House Issues Rules For Reporters Asking Questions Of President, Officials

The White House seems to have abandoned its attempt to ban CNN’s Jim Acosta for now and has issued written rules for reporters covering the President at the official residence. From ABC News:

“a journalist “will ask a single question and then will yield the floor to other journalists,” follow-up questions will be permitted “at the discretion of the president or other White House officials taking questions,” “yielding the floor” is defined as “physically surrendering” the microphone and, lastly, “failure to abide” by any of the rules may result in “‘suspension or revocation of the journalist’s hard pass.'”

It is not clear what would happen if the President or another official at the White House did not answer a reporter’s question and another reporter picked up that question and pursued it.  Would that be considered “failure to abide” or a “follow-up question”?

The White House action took place after a judge ordered the temporary restoration of Mr. Acosta’s hard press. CNN and Mr. Acosta had sued over the White Hosue’s abrupt revocation.