Smart move

The news that US President Donald J. Trump has banned journalists from CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House, which was widely reported in print and social media, has gone viral around the world.

According to the report, the move by Trump drew immediate accusations that it was unconstitutional and would be thrown out by the courts, while the impacted news outlets said they would not be cowed.

The world has to learn how to deal with US President Donald Trump because, in my opinion, he is one of the most politically smart presidents in US history and knows how to get his deals done through calculated moves.

Each move appears to be carefully calculated, and Donald Trump seeks to achieve results from it. His latest move to bar CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House — three major media organisations with a significant global presence — shows how determined he is to influence how these outlets cover his administration. Trump has said he banned them because he considers their reporting to be “fake news,” while the affected organisations have defended their right to report independently.

Hashim Usman, By email