WASHINGTON — Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico on Saturday said they were denied entry to the White House after President Trump announced a White House media ban targeting the three outlets.
Trump said in a Truth Social post on Friday that he was barring the organizations, citing what he called persistently negative coverage of his administration and asserting that outlets should not be able to report “fiction and lies” about the president. He warned additional outlets could be next, continuing an ongoing battle with the press.
Asked at a Friday press conference whether the move was intended to intimidate journalists, Trump said, “No,” then criticized what he described as dishonest reporting.
He added that some outlets “purposely write negative news” to undercut Republicans and said his decision did not stem from a single story but from frustration that had built over the past two years.
White House media ban takes hold
On Saturday morning, MS NOW, formerly known as MSNBC, said in a statement on X that its journalists were blocked from entering the grounds. MS NOW reporter Akayla Gardner said on air that an officer asked her to hand over her White House credential because it had been disabled. “I asked why I was not able to get inside,” she said. “He said it was above him.” The outlet said a producer was able to get in and pledged to keep reporting on the administration.
“The White House belongs to the American people and the decisions made inside are funded by our tax dollars,” MS NOW said in its statement, adding that it would take any necessary steps to defend First Amendment rights and the role of independent journalism.
CNN reporter Betsy Klein said she was also denied access and that a Secret Service agent took her credential. Klein, who has covered the White House since the Obama administration, said she was told to contact the press office for more information. In a statement on X, CNN said it has a constitutional right to report without government interference and vowed to continue its coverage of the administration.
Politico Global Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Greenberger told staff that White House reporter Cheyenne Haslett had also been turned away. “We stand by her and all reporters here covering the White House,” he said, adding that the outlet would vigorously defend its First Amendment rights.
Press freedoms at issue
The White House Correspondents’ Association said Friday that the Constitution protects press freedom from government interference, regardless of whether a president approves of a news organization’s coverage or questions. A leading First Amendment attorney said the ban appears unconstitutional on its face.
Trump has previously restricted access for reporters. Last year, he barred an Associated Press journalist from covering two official events after the news service declined to use the term Gulf of America for the Gulf of Mexico.
During his first term, the White House revoked the press pass of a CNN reporter. Courts sided with the media in both instances, though the AP case remains on appeal.
The announcement comes during a midterm season in which Democrats hold an advantage. The administration has faced criticism over an unpopular war in the Middle East, concerns about a looming affordability crisis and threats to demolish the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Trump has also weighed in on other policy debates this year, including when Trump backs ethics add-ons to bipartisan crypto bill, reflecting broader tensions with lawmakers and the press.
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