MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
One America News Network correspondent Chanel Rion asks a question during a coronavirus press briefing on April 1, 2020.
- The White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) has been limiting the number of people who can attend President Donald Trump's daily coronavirus press briefings to ensure social distancing rules.
- It has been operating a rotating attendance list, with reporters going at different times but not all at once.
- But Chanel Rion, a reporter for the right-wing One America News Network (OANN), attended White House briefings twice despite not being on the attendance list.
- As a result, the WHCA ejected OANN from its rotation for a seat at the briefings, citing a "matter of public safety." The restriction will last for as long as social-distancing restrictions are in place.
- Rion is a staunch backer of President Donald Trump, and has built a career spreading right-wing conspiracy theories.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
One America News Network (OANN), a right-wing outlet lauded by President Donald Trump, has been ejected from the White House's coronavirus task force briefings for violating social-distancing restrictions designed to slow the spread of the disease.
The White House has since last month operated a rotating attendance list, in which reporters from various outlets alternate their attendance.
But Chanel Rion, a media personality at OANN, attended the briefings twice despite not being on the attendance rota.
On Wednesday the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) chose to remove OANN from the rota for as long as the restrictions are in place, citing Rion's violation of the social-distancing rules.
"We do not take this action lightly," the WHCA board wrote in an email to members. "This is a matter of public safety."
"The rules are clear," WHCA President and ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl said, according to The Washington Post. "If you don't have a seat in the briefing room on your given day, you cannot be there. The rules are established to protect the health of the White House press corps. We're abiding by the [Centers for Disease Control's] guidelines."
But Charles Herring, OANN's founder and CEO, told The Post that Rion's attendance was "appropriate" and she had been invited to attend, but didn't specify who invited her.
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
The OANN network has a much lower profile than Fox News, and isn't available on most cable packages, but has earned the president's praise through its adulatory coverage of his administration. "They treat me very nicely," Trump said of OANN on March 19.
Rion has in recent weeks attracted attention for asking the president softball questions, including whether "Chinese food" is a racist term.
Rion has built her career promoting right-wing conspiracy theories, including the Seth Rich conspiracy, and recently accompanied Rudy Giuliani to Ukraine to substantiate conspiracy theories that were a key part of the Ukraine impeachment scandal.
In mid-March, she reported that the coronavirus was created in a North Carolina lab, and spread by "deep state" operatives to destroy Trump's economic record.
Do you have a personal experience with the coronavirus you'd like to share? Or a tip on how your town or community is handling the pandemic? Please email covidtips@businessinsider.com and tell us your story.
And get the latest coronavirus analysis and research from Business Insider Intelligence on how COVID-19 is impacting businesses.
WHCA Statement on Removing News Organization from News Briefing Seat Rotation pic.twitter.com/KL3XcPq7Rt
- WHCA (@whca) April 1, 2020Trump calls on @OANN reporter
TRUMP: O-A-N…They treat me very nicely.
OANN reporter asks whether "Chinese food" is racist term. Trump says no.
OANN: Is it alarming that major media players… are consistently siding with foreign state propaganda, Islamic radicals, Latin gangs? pic.twitter.com/gdrlYsN5Bs
- Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) March 19, 2020