Trump Bans CNN and Other ‘Fake News’ Outlets from White House

President Donald Trump announced Friday that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be barred from the White House, saying the restrictions would take effect immediately.

Trump announced the move on Truth Social while accusing the three organizations of publishing false or misleading coverage of his administration.

He also suggested the restrictions may eventually extend to additional news organizations. “Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow,” Trump wrote.

The president separately criticized each of the three outlets, including MS NOW, the network formerly known as MSNBC.

Trump mocked the network’s rebranding and attributed the change to what he described as declining viewership and credibility. Those assertions were part of Trump’s criticism of the network rather than independently established findings.

Reporters representing CNN, MS NOW and Politico were denied entry to the White House, with journalists reporting that their credentials had been deactivated and, in some cases, confiscated.

He also targeted Politico over federal government subscriptions purchased during the Biden administration, alleging the spending amounted to financial support for the publication.

Trump has repeatedly accused major media organizations of unfair or inaccurate coverage, and he again argued Friday that news outlets “shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES.”

The announcement, however, did not identify a specific CNN, MS NOW or Politico report that prompted the decision.

Trump also did not initially explain precisely how the restrictions would be implemented or what level of White House access would be denied to journalists from the three organizations.

The move represents another escalation in the administration’s long-running conflict with several major news outlets over their coverage of Trump and his presidency.

As of the initial reports, additional details about how the White House intended to enforce the restrictions had not been publicly outlined.

CNN responded by backing its White House journalists and arguing that the government cannot restrict its reporting because officials object to its coverage. The network said it considers access to report on the presidency a constitutionally protected press function and indicated it would defend those rights.

Politico also pushed back against Trump’s characterization of its government subscription revenue. The publication disputed the suggestion that the purchases amounted to government subsidies and said it intends to continue covering the White House while defending its First Amendment rights against restrictions on access.

MS NOW issued its own response after its journalists were turned away Saturday, saying it planned to take whatever steps it considered necessary to protect its First Amendment rights. The network also stressed that White House operations are publicly funded and maintained that independent news organizations have a legitimate role in covering decisions made there.

The White House Correspondents’ Association also objected to the restrictions. Its president, Fox News correspondent Jacqui Heinrich, said constitutional press protections do not depend on whether a president approves of an outlet’s coverage or questions. Separately, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press argued that excluding journalists because of their reporting would amount to viewpoint discrimination and could face a court challenge.