Vice President JD Vance called the ban on the news site POLITICO 'totally appropriate' on Monday, 21 September. Two days later, the newsletter Status reported that Vance was the unnamed source for a June POLITICO story on Iran. The White House had cited that story to defend the ban.
Vance was speaking on a White House briefing call where reporters could quote him but not name him, the newsletter said. If Status is correct, the White House was citing a POLITICO report based on a briefing it had authorised. POLITICO is suing alongside CNN and MS NOW over the revocation of their White House press passes.
