Station's refusal last month to let The Royal Gazette onto the base while he was conducting an investigation there.

In Saturday's edition of USA Today, gossip columnist Jeannie Williams is reporting Donaldson boomed "absolutely not true!'' when asked whether he "strong-arms the media the way he does news sources''.

A copy of the story was obtained by The Royal Gazette yesterday. USA Today is a daily newspaper based near Washington DC with a circulation of more than 2 million.

Ms Williams writes under the headline `Same Live', "He has a hard-hitting piece coming on PrimeTime Live on Thursday on the US Naval Air Station in Bermuda, which he charges has become solely a `Club Med' for service brass to sun and golf.

"When he taped the piece a couple of weeks ago, Bermuda's biggest paper, The Royal Gazette , sent a reporter to the base. The red carpet had been rolled out for Sam, the Gazette reported, but its reporter was bounced out by security.'' NAS public affairs officer Ens. Marie McGahan had told The Royal Gazette she was simply respecting Donaldson's wishes not to allow the local Press on while he was there. Seconds later armed security guards arrived to order the reporter and photographer off NAS property.

Mr. Donaldson told USA Today that when Ens. McGahan informed him the newspaper wanted an interview with him, he replied, "I (told her) I'm not going to say a word...We're in the middle of an investigation...But I have no power or desire to prevent other reporters from going on the base or covering a story.'' PrimeTime Live airs tomorrow night on ZFB channel seven at 11 p.m.

Reaction in America to the report could pressure the Clinton administration to make base cuts now that the threat of cold war is over.