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US President Donald Trump on Friday announced that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be banned from the White House, escalating his long-running conflict with news organisations critical of his administration.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the three outlets were being barred “effective immediately,” accusing them of repeatedly reporting what he described as “fake news.” He did not identify specific reports that he believed were false.
Trump later defended the decision while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, saying the move was based on what he considered unfair coverage. He also suggested that more news organisations could be added to the restrictions.
CNN said it stood behind its White House reporting and argued that the government could not prevent its journalists from carrying out their work without raising constitutional concerns. Politico also said it would continue reporting on the White House.
The precise scope and implementation of the announced restrictions were not immediately clear. Reports also indicated that journalists from the targeted organisations remained on White House grounds later on Friday, leaving questions over how the ban would be enforced.
The announcement has renewed debate over the relationship between the White House and the American press. The First Amendment protects freedom of the press, and restrictions on journalists' access to government officials can raise legal questions depending on how they are implemented.
The development also follows previous disputes between the Trump administration and news organisations over access to presidential events and government facilities.
For now, attention is focused on whether the White House will formally implement the restrictions and whether additional media organisations will face similar action.
