Donald Trump announced on his social media platform that he is immediately banning CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House. He accused these outlets of consistently reporting “fiction or lies” about his administration, although he did not cite specific examples.

The announcement marks a further deterioration in Trump’s already contentious relationship with the press. It remains unclear how the ban would be enforced or whether it would prevent journalists from these organizations from entering White House grounds, as reporters from Politico and CNN were seen on site shortly after the statement.

Table of Contents

Media Outlets Decry Ban as Unconstitutional

CNN called the potential ban an “illegal assault” on press freedom, emphasizing their constitutional right to report without government interference. Politico vowed to continue fair reporting and defend its First Amendment rights. MS NOW declined to comment.

Advocacy groups defending press freedoms also condemned the move. The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University highlighted that courts have repeatedly ruled against similar actions, calling the White House press pool a “public forum” under the First Amendment. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press labeled the ban as “flatly unconstitutional,” citing viewpoint discrimination, while the Freedom of the Press Foundation described the ban as illegal and counterproductive.