Who is Akayla Gardner? MS Now reporter denied entry as Trump's White House ban on 3 media outlets begins

MS NOW correspondent Akayla Gardner and a camera crew were denied entry to the White House on Saturday, following President Donald Trump's announcement that he would revoke press credentials from three media outlets he deemed to provide inadequate coverage. Gardner and her team had their White House press credentials confiscated by the US Secret Service at a checkpoint near the West Wing entrance.

Gardner expressed confusion over the reason for her denial, stating that the officer merely informed her that her badge had been disabled. In a September 18th announcement via social media, Trump declared that he would block journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from accessing the White House due to their "FAKE NEWS" reporting.

Despite Trump's claim that no specific incident prompted the restriction, MS NOW emphasized that the decision aligned with the notion that "the White House belongs to the American people." The spokesperson for MS NOW pledged to defend the organization's First Amendment rights and underscored their commitment to reporting on the administration.

This incident further scrutinizes the Trump administration's approach to media access, as prior court cases have examined the extent of executive branch officials' power to limit media entry based on editorial decisions.