President Donald Trump says he has barred CNN, MSNOW and Politico from the White House, accusing the organizations of publishing “fake news.” Reporters from the outlets said they were caught off guard and had received no advance notice of the decision. Asked about the announcement by NBC correspondent Kelly O’Donnell in the Oval Office, Trump said he took the action because he considers the networks and publication dishonest and believes their ratings are poor. Regarding Politico, he claimed the outlet had received $8 million from the Biden administration to remain financially viable. The circumstances behind his online announcement remain unclear. Trump later said the timing was not linked to one specific incident, but rather to a “cumulation of stories over the past few years” that he had grown “sick of.” He suggested the outlets could eventually return if their coverage improved, adding that someone had to keep them out for now.
In his initial Truth Social post, Trump wrote that media organizations should not be allowed to “constantly write or report FICTION and LIES” while covering the president, his administration or the country, warning that other outlets could face similar treatment. When asked which organizations he meant, Trump singled out The New York Times and The Washington Post, calling both “fake news” and describing them as struggling newspapers. He also said the White House might stop displaying printed copies of the papers, though he acknowledged that officials had not yet removed them entirely. As word of the ban spread, reporters inside the White House could be heard debating whether the announcement represented a temporary outburst or a formal policy decision.
The practical impact of the decision on White House press access remains uncertain. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who previously served as Trump’s press secretary, was asked by a White House reporter whether she supported the ban. “Sure,” she replied, arguing that reporters should not criticize a free press while using the Oval Office to question the president. Sanders said Trump was right to defend the First Amendment, but also entitled to demand reporting that he considers accurate and fair. The White House was contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of publication.
The latest confrontation follows Trump’s decision in February of last year to restrict Associated Press reporters from White House coverage after the organization declined to adopt his preferred name, “Gulf of America.” The AP sued, and the case remains pending. Trump’s relationship with the news media has been combative for years, and he has criticized organizations including The Wall Street Journal, the BBC and The New York Times. He has also repeatedly clashed with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins in the Oval Office, at times calling her questions “dumb” and telling her she should smile more.
Right-wing influencer Nick Sortor welcomed the announcement on social media, writing that the CNN ban was “LONG overdue.” He specifically criticized Kaitlan Collins, accusing her of being rude and frequently interrupting Trump during Oval Office exchanges. The move is expected to face legal challenges from the affected media organizations. Trump also attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner for the first time this year, delivering a speech centered on political attacks, jokes and criticism of the press.
