President Donald Trump has announced a ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, citing their consistent ‘reporting’ of what he describes as fake news. The decision was communicated through a Truth Social post, where Trump expressed pride in his action to prohibit these media outlets.
During an Oval Office interaction with reporters, Trump reiterated his stance, attributing his decision to the cumulative stories these organizations have published over the years. ‘You get sick of it,’ he remarked.
CNN’s Response
CNN fired back at the Trump White House, labeling the attacks on their reporter as beneath the office. Despite these tensions, CNN remains part of the presidential travel pool, a group of five networks including Fox News, that traditionally accompanies the president globally.
CNN is slated to lead the network pool coverage as Trump attends the United Nations General Assembly.
Press Freedom Debate
Sarah Huckabee Sanders, former White House press secretary and current Arkansas governor, was at the Oval Office event focused on healthcare. She dismissed claims that Trump opposes a free press. Sanders argued that standing in the Oval Office allowing questions from the president demonstrated Trump’s accessibility.
Historically, federal judges have blocked previous attempts by the Trump administration to restrict media access.
Trump further commented that he believes some media outlets should be restricted from publishing fake news repeatedly.
Media Response
Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy noted CNN remained active, broadcasting from media row outside the White House. A senior official confirmed that CNN, MS NOW, and Politico’s journalists would be informed they could no longer access White House grounds starting Saturday.
CNN released a statement affirming support for its White House team and emphasizing their constitutional right to fair and accurate reporting without government interference.
Politico also responded with a statement, asserting their commitment to fair reporting on the White House and defending their First Amendment rights.
A spokesperson for MS NOW did not provide a comment.