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President Donald Trump said Friday that he was banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, accusing the three news organizations of repeatedly publishing what he called “FAKE NEWS” about his administration.
Trump announced the move in a Truth Social post, saying the outlets should not be allowed to “write or report FICTION and LIES” about the president or the country. He also warned that other news organizations could be barred.
But as of Friday afternoon, reporters from all three outlets were still at the White House, and the administration had not publicly explained how the ban would be implemented or whether it involved press credentials, access to briefings or participation in the White House press pool.
Trump offered little additional detail when questioned by reporters in the Oval Office. He said the decision was based on what he described as a pattern of inaccurate coverage and suggested other outlets could face similar restrictions.
First Amendment Questions
The announcement immediately raised constitutional questions because the president appeared to be targeting news organizations based on their coverage.
The First Amendment protects freedom of the press, although the legal rules governing access to the White House can depend on the type of access involved. The Supreme Court and lower courts have addressed government restrictions on journalists’ access to government-controlled spaces, and any challenge to a ban based on the content or viewpoint of a news organization’s reporting could raise significant First Amendment issues.
CNN said it stood behind its White House reporting and argued that journalists have a constitutional right to report without government interference.
“Should the ban which President Trump threatened go ahead,” CNN said, it would constitute an “illegal assault” on the First Amendment rights of its journalists.
Politico likewise said it would continue covering the White House and would defend its First Amendment rights against any effort to restrict access.
The White House Correspondents’ Association also said it was defending journalists from the three organizations and emphasized that press access should not depend on whether a president approves of a news outlet’s coverage.
Trump Revives Disputed Politico Payment Claim
Trump’s announcement also repeated a claim about federal payments to Politico that has previously been disputed by multiple fact-checkers.
Trump said the government had paid an “illegal and ridiculous $8 Million Dollar subscription” to Politico. The figure originated from federal spending records showing that government agencies collectively paid more than $8 million for Politico products and subscriptions in 2024.
But those payments were contracts for subscriptions and professional services, not government subsidies to Politico’s journalism operation. USAspending records showed that USAID accounted for only $44,000 of the payments in fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
Politico has said it has never received government subsidies, grants or other government funding. Government agencies have purchased Politico Pro and related products through ordinary procurement contracts, as they do with other research and information services.
The Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, targeted federal Politico subscriptions in 2025 as part of its effort to cut government spending.
Part of a Broader Fight With the Press
Friday’s announcement follows a series of confrontations between Trump and news organizations during his second term.
The administration previously restricted Associated Press access to presidential events after the news organization declined to adopt Trump’s preferred name, “Gulf of America,” for the Gulf of Mexico. The AP sued, arguing that the administration’s restrictions violated the First Amendment.
Trump’s first administration also temporarily revoked the White House credentials of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta after a confrontation during a 2018 news conference. CNN sued, and Acosta’s credentials were restored.
Trump has also pursued defamation litigation against several major news organizations during his current term. Some of those cases have been dismissed, while others remain in litigation.
The latest announcement extends that conflict to three additional outlets and comes with no immediate indication that the White House has actually removed their reporters.
For now, the central questions are how the administration intends to enforce the announced ban, whether the affected organizations will challenge it in court and how federal courts would weigh the president’s authority over White House access against constitutional protections for the press.
