Trump bans CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House over ‘fake news’

On September 19, US President Donald Trump announced that he was banning CNN, MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), and Politico from the White House, citing their reported "fake news" about his administration. The 80-year-old Republican, known for his contentious relationship with the media, warned that other outlets could face similar bans, though he did not specify which ones.

The move drew immediate accusations of being unconstitutional and belonging to a court challenge, while the affected news outlets vowed not to be intimidated. Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social platform, stating that "media outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the US."

He justified the ban as a response to "cumulative stories over the last two years" that he found "sickening and negative." Trump's former Fox News host Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth backed the ban, accusing the outlets of "endangering troops." While journalists for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico remained on White House premises following the announcement, they continued to broadcast from their stations.

CNN called the ban an "illegal assault" on press freedom, asserting that its reporting was "fair and accurate" and protected under the US Constitution. Politico vowed to defend its First Amendment rights. The White House Correspondents Association, representing journalists covering the presidency, vowed to defend the targeted journalists.

Both of Trump's terms in office have seen repeated outbursts against the media, with multiple defamation suits, attacks on press on Truth Social, and verbal assaults on several reporters, including CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins. Legal experts have criticized the ban, arguing that it would be "flatly unconstitutional" as it violates the First Amendment by engaging in viewpoint discrimination.