CNN says correspondent was barred at event with Trump at White House

Journalist was reprimanded by questions asked the president about recording in which he discusses bribery to former Playboy model

CNN has denied that one of its White House correspondents, Kaitlin Collins, was excluded from covering one of President Donald Trump's events on Wednesday, prompting a complaint from the White House Correspondents' Association.

Collins was barred from an event at the Rose Garden for his behavior at an earlier press conference where he questioned the president about the recording in which he discusses with his former lawyer Michael Cohen a way to pay Playboy ex-model Karen McDougal, to keep silent about his alleged extramarital affair.

CNN said in a statement that White House Communications director Bill Shine and press secretary Sarah Sanders told Collins that her questions were "inappropriate" and that she could not attend the event at the Rose Garden during the which Trump and Juncker have announced on trade talks. "This decision to ban a member of the press is retaliation by nature and is not indicative of an open and free press," CNN said.

Trump often complains about CNN's coverage of his presidency, saying he considers it unfair. The White House made no immediate comment on CNN's statement.

Olivier Knox, president of the White House Correspondents Association, criticized the Trump administration's decision.

"We strongly condemn the White House's misguided and inadequate decision to prevent one of our members from attending an open press event after she asked questions they did not like," Knox said in a statement.