President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he was banning CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House. He stated the ban was effective immediately but provided no further details about how it would be enforced. Trump said he was taking this step because of what he called negative reporting by these news outlets. He also claimed that these media organizations often report false or misleading stories about the administration.
Trump made the announcement on Truth Social before speaking with reporters in the Oval Office. When questioned about the decision later, Trump did not cite any specific incidents as reasons for the ban, according to TIME. He said he was simply tired of what he described as repeated unfavorable coverage over recent years.
Trump also warned that other news organizations could face similar restrictions. He said the three organizations had repeatedly published what he described as fake news and fiction.
CNN reported that its team remained at the White House and continued covering the administration on Friday afternoon. Despite the ban announcement, reporters there felt tense during the coverage.
Associated Press reporters also found journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico still working on the White House grounds late Friday afternoon. There was no immediate indication that White House officials had begun removing reporters or revoking credentials.
CNN issued a statement saying it stood fully behind its White House team and their reporting. The network emphasized its commitment to fair and accurate journalism under the protections of the U.S. Constitution.
Politico also responded Friday. The organization said it would continue reporting on the White House and would defend its First Amendment rights against efforts to restrict its access.
When asked what exactly the ban entailed, Trump said he did not want those news outlets in his office or at the White House. The White House Press Office did not respond to questions about the ban.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth supported Trump’s announcement in a post on X. He said the Department of War supported the president’s decision to remove the three organizations from the White House.
This action follows a similar move from last year when Trump barred Associated Press journalists from certain events due to their refusal to adopt his preferred name for the Gulf of Mexico. That incident led to an ongoing lawsuit filed by the Associated Press, according to a report from NPR.
The AP had continued using Gulf of Mexico in its reporting while also noting Trump’s order renaming it the Gulf of America. The administration restricted AP access to the Oval Office, Air Force One, and some other events where space was limited.
Since returning to office, Trump has also pursued legal action against other news organizations including The New York Times and the BBC. He has also taken legal action against The Wall Street Journal. TIME reported Friday that the cases against the Times and Journal were dismissed while the BBC has asked for the case against it to be dismissed.
This latest ban could challenge long-standing norms about press access at the White House. A federal appeals court addressed a similar issue in the 1977 case Sherrill v. Knight.
The court ruled that the White House does not have to create press facilities for journalists. However, once press access is established, the government cannot deny access based solely on the content of a journalist’s reporting. The ruling also required procedures for journalists whose access is denied.
The traditional practice allows reporters from a range of news outlets to attend presidential events and question the president directly. Press access plays an important role in providing public accounts of presidential activities and decisions.
CNN is also part of the traditional television press pool that follows the president. That pool allows television networks to share coverage when space is too limited for every organization to attend.
Trump has previously used White House access as leverage against news outlets he disapproved of. During his first term, he revoked the press credentials of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta after a heated exchange during a news conference.
CNN challenged that decision in federal court. A judge ordered the White House to restore Acosta’s credential while the case continued.
This latest ban is part of a broader pattern in Trump’s relationship with the media. It also raises legal questions about how much presidential authority extends over press access and First Amendment protections.
Trump’s announcement came just before he addressed reporters in the Oval Office during a healthcare-related event. He later planned to take the press pool to his golf club in Virginia for a meeting and dinner before spending the weekend at Camp David. Camp David is one of the few places where reporters are not allowed to follow him.
Trump indicated Friday that the restrictions may not end with CNN, MS NOW, and Politico. He said additional news organizations could be added to the ban in the future.
The announcement adds another dispute over media access to the continuing legal and political clashes between Trump and major news organizations.