Trump Bans CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from White House, Threatens More Media Restrictions
WASHINGTON — September 18, 2026 — President Donald Trump announced on Friday, September 18, that he is banning CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House effective immediately, accusing the three outlets of constantly reporting what he called “Fake News” and warning that additional media organizations could face similar restrictions .
The announcement, made via a post on Trump’s Truth Social platform, marks the latest escalation in the president’s long-running battle with the American press and raises fresh constitutional questions about First Amendment protections .
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The Announcement
In his post, Trump wrote: “I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW… and Politico… from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!”
“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 added, concluding with a warning: “Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow” .
Later, speaking from the Oval Office, Trump described it as a “very simple ban.” “I don’t want them in my office. I don’t want them here. I would say the ban would go as far as you can,” he told reporters. “If they could straighten themselves out, I’d love it” .
Scope of the Ban Remains Unclear
It was not immediately clear what the ban would entail or whether employees of the affected outlets would be prevented from entering the White House grounds entirely . Shortly after the announcement, reporters from both CNN and Politico were still on the White House grounds, and a CNN crew was traveling with Vice President JD Vance to and from an event in Iowa .
CNN is one of only five US news outlets that film video for the White House press pool — the rotating group of journalists who cover the president at restricted-space events such as the Oval Office and Air Force One. Trump’s move could upend that traditional arrangement .
The White House declined to comment beyond Trump’s post .
Media Outlets Respond Defiantly
CNN swiftly condemned the move as an “illegal assault” on press freedoms. “CNN stands fully behind our White House team and their fair and accurate reporting,” the network said in a statement. “We have a right under the U.S. Constitution to do that reporting without hindrance or interference from the government. Should the ban which President Trump threatened go ahead, it would be an illegal assault on that fundamental and constitutionally-protected right” .
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Politico similarly stated it “will continue to fairly report on this White House and future ones. We will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights against any attempt to restrict them” . MS NOW, formerly MSNBC, declined to comment .
Press Freedom Organizations Sound Alarm
The announcement drew immediate condemnation from press freedom advocates and legal experts.
Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, said: “With so many courts having ruled against him on exactly this point, you’d think President Trump would have learned this lesson by now.” He noted that if Trump intends to expel the outlets from the White House press pool, “his action is doubly unconstitutional because the press pool is a ‘public forum’ under the First Amendment, which means the president can’t exclude journalists from it on the basis of their viewpoints” .
Seth Stern, advocacy director at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, called the move “a blatant violation of the First Amendment” and urged news outlets to challenge it . The National Press Club described it as “an unprecedented assault on press freedom” .
White House Correspondents’ Association President Jacqui Heinrich, who works for Fox News, said the organization stands “in defence of our colleagues who are being singled out for doing their jobs. This is about more than the rights of journalists. It is about the right of the American people to receive a full and independent account of the activities, policies and decisions of whoever occupies the nation’s highest office” .
A Pattern of Escalating Media Restrictions
The ban is the latest in a series of moves by the Trump administration to restrict press access since the president returned to office in January 2025.
In February of that year, the White House took control of the presidential press pool from the White House Correspondents’ Association, which had managed it for more than a century . The same month, the administration barred Associated Press reporters and photographers from the Oval Office and Air Force One after the news agency continued using “Gulf of Mexico” rather than Trump’s preferred “Gulf of America.” The AP filed a lawsuit, which remains ongoing .
The administration has also moved to bring conservative bloggers, podcasters, and influencers into the White House press room, arguing it is necessary to provide diverse perspectives. In February 2025, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that “new media” outlets would receive seats in the briefing room .
Trump has pursued legal action against a range of news organizations, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the BBC .
The president has also repeatedly called on the Federal Communications Commission to strip broadcast stations of their licenses over programming he dislikes .
Historical Precedents
While it is extremely rare for a US president to bar an entire news organization from the White House, there are precedents. During the Watergate scandal in the 1970s, President Richard Nixon restricted access for The Washington Post .
In 2018, during Trump’s first term, the White House revoked CNN correspondent Jim Acosta’s credential after a contentious exchange with the president. CNN sued, and a federal judge ordered the pass restored .
Legal Questions Loom
The move is expected to face immediate legal challenges. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has previously held that once the White House opens general press facilities to journalists, access cannot be denied arbitrarily, and press pass restrictions must come with due process .
However, a divided appellate court last year ruled that the White House does have broader discretion over which journalists enter restricted spaces like the Oval Office and Air Force One — a case brought by the AP that remains unresolved .
Trump acknowledged that legal challenges may follow, telling reporters: “I think it’s good to point it out, whether it survives or doesn’t” .
Political Reactions
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned the move, writing on X: “Donald Trump just did what dictators throughout history have done. @realDonaldTrump- this is a democracy. You will not be able to manipulate the news or hide the truth” .
Representative Frank Pallone, the lead Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, called Trump’s action censorship. “If Trump thinks banning media outlets from the White House will make his presidency seem less like a failure, he’s delusional,” Pallone said .
SOURCES
- AP News: Trump says he is banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House
- BBC News: Donald Trump says he is banning CNN and Politico from White House
- Axios: Trump bans CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House
- Reuters via The Express Tribune: Trump bans CNN, MS NOW, Politico from White House
- Euronews: Trump threatens to ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House
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