White House staff member steps in to try to take Acosta microphone
White House staff member steps in to try to take Acosta microphoneReuters

The White House on Monday said it had made a final decision to restore press credentials for CNN reporter Jim Acosta, Reuters reports.

The decision came three days after a judge in Washington ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore the journalist’s press pass.

The decision reverses a Friday letter by the White House that said Acosta’s press pass could be revoked again right after the judge’s temporary order expired.

The White House revoked Acosta’s press credentials following his fiery exchange with Trump during a press conference.

Acosta questioned Trump about his characterization of a migrant caravan making its way to the US border from Mexico as “an invasion.”

Acosta continued to press Trump, despite Trump’s demand that he "put down the mic," before a White House official finally took the microphone away from him.

Trump then scolded Acosta, calling him a “rude, terrible person" and adding, “CNN should be ashamed of itself having you work for them. You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldn’t be working for CNN.”

Hours later, the White House announced that it had suspended Acosta's credentials due to the fact that Acosta become physical with a young female intern as he tried to ask Trump a question during the news conference.

CNN, in turn, filed a lawsuit against the White House, arguing that the revocation of Acosta’s press pass violates their First and Fifth Amendment rights.

Trump has been a vocal critic of much of the mainstream media, and particularly of CNN.

Shortly after Trump was elected president, he and Acosta got into a shouting match similar to that which occurred on Wednesday, when Acosta insisted on asking Trump a question after Trump dismissed a CNN report on Russian hackers having sensitive information about him.

Acosta kept insisting on asking his question, and Trump told him, “Don’t be rude”, before concluding with, “You are fake news.”