The Republican National Committee (RNC) has revoked media accreditation for CBC/Radio-Canada ahead of its midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, scheduled for September 9–10.
CBC’s head of public affairs, Chuck Thompson, confirmed the RNC’s decision on Monday, expressing disappointment and stating that the public broadcaster hopes the committee will reconsider while CBC reviews the choice. Requests for comment sent to convention organizers, the White House, and the RNC were either referred back to the committee or went unanswered.
The move comes during a period of heightened diplomatic and economic tension between Canada and the United States, marked by reciprocal sanctions and escalated political rhetoric.
The decision also follows recent backlash from U.S. lawmakers and administration officials over a leaked internal CBC memo regarding language guidance. The document referenced a long-standing policy advising journalists against using the words “terrorist” or “terrorist act” without direct attribution—a stance that drew public criticism from Republican House members ahead of the 25th anniversary of September 11. In response, Basem Boshra, CBC’s senior director of journalistic standards, announced that the outlet updated its guidelines so that describing the events of 9/11 as terrorism no longer requires direct attribution.
