Donald Trump bans CNN, MS Now and Politico from White House

President Donald Trump declared on Friday that the White House will enforce an immediate ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico. The president accused the three news organizations of publishing "fake news" and "lies" about him and his administration, stating that "Media Outlets shouldn't be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they're covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America." Trump emphasized on Truth Social, "Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow."

During a later Oval Office appearance, Trump explained his rationale, saying, "You need a free press. You need a fair press and an honest press. They purposely write negative news." The White House did not comment on the specifics of how the ban would be enforced or what restrictions it might entail.

The White House declined to provide details on how the ban would be implemented or if it would revoke reporters' credentials, limit their access to the White House grounds, or exclude the outlets from briefings, presidential events, and press pools. Representatives from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump made the claim that MSNBC had changed its name to MS NOW due to declining viewership and credibility, although the network actually rebranded in November 2025 as part of a corporate separation from NBCUniversal. Meanwhile, Politico was described by Trump as receiving an "illegal and ridiculous $8 Million Dollar subscription" from the federal government under the Biden administration.

The figure referred to subscriptions purchased by multiple government agencies, primarily for Politico Pro, not a single payment to keep the news organization operational. Both administrations had previously funded news-service subscriptions, according to a FactCheck.org review.