Reporters barred from White House

Trump enforces ban on 3 media outlets

By: Joey Garrison
USA today

WASHINGTON - Reporters form MS NOW, CNN, and Politico were denied entry into the White House on September 19, [2026] as President Donald Trump;s ban on the three media outlets from the White House grounds went into effect.
..... MS Now reporter Akayla Gardner said her White House press pass did not work when she tired to scan it, and a security officer order her to hand t over as she attempted to go thorough magnetometers at the press entrance.
..... "I asked why I could not get inside; he said it was above him," gardener said in an interview on MS Now, adding that one of MS NOW's photographers also had their press badge taken away.
..... CNN and Politico, in separate statements, confirmed their reporters were also denied access to the White House grounds and had their passes confiscated.
..... The encounters marked the apparent implementation of a ban on reporters from CNN, Politico and MS NOW that trump announced September 18. [2026] trump who has long complained about his press coverage, accused each media outlet of repeatedly reporting "fake news," but he did not identify a specific incident or story that prompted the extraordinary move. he said he grew sick of "cumulative stories over the last few years."
..... Though the ban does not prevent journalists at the outlets from reporting on Trump, it denies them critical White House access that allows reporters to ask the president questions and interact with white house officials.
..... The ban, which was swiftly condemned by Frost Amendment advocates, also appear to infringe on a constitutionally protected free press. Even trump, in comments to reporters September 18, [2026] referred to his actions as a "ban on the free press."
..... In a 1977, Sherill v. Knight, a federal appeals court ruled that the White House cannot arbitrarily deny press [passes to reporters based on the content of their coverage if the White House has voluntarily opened its doors to media and established facilities for the press.

MS NOW, CNN Politico respond

..... MS Now, in a statement after being denied access to the White House, said the cable news channel "intends to take any and all steps necessary to defend our First amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalks, in our democracy."
..... "The White House belongs to the American people and the decisions made inside are funded by our tax dollars," the statement said. "we stand firmly behind our anchors, our reporters and our newsroom. We will continue to report on the president, the administration, and the issues that impact the americna people."
..... CNN said its mission to report on the government will continue regardless of any attempts to restrict physical access to the White House.
..... "We have a right under the U.S. Constitution to do our reporting without hindrance or interference from the government and this ban is an illegal assault on this fundamental right," CNN said. "We will not be deflected form our duty to holed the government and other public bodies to account, and we will continue to report on the actions and processes of this administration without fear or favor."
..... Jonathan Greenberger, global editor-in-chief for Politico, said the publication stands by all its reporters covering the White House.
" As we said yesterday, we will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights," Greenberger said in an email to Politico's newsroom hat was released to the public.
..... The White House declined to comment, referring USA today to Trump's remarks on his ban.

Butting heads with the press

..... Trump has long had an adversarial relationship with the media, often taking aim at individual reporters and media outlets over coverage he deems to be unfair. During his second term, Trump has welcomed nontraditional conservative-leaning commentators into the White House press briefing room and Oval Office to ask him questions.
..... Shortly after his return to the White House, Trump had The Associated Press removed from the White House pool, which is given the closest access to the president, after the AP refused to change ts guidance to reflect Trump's renaming of the "Gulf of Mexico" to the "Gulf of America."
..... One federal trial judge appointed by Trump temporary blocked the ban on the AP, but two appeals court judges - also appointed by Trump - on a three-judge panel reverse that decision in a 2-1 ruling. The case is still being litigated.
..... During his first term, the White House in 2018 pulled the press credentials of CNN corespondent Jim Acosta, but a federal judge later ruled on the side of CNN and forced the White House to allow Acosta to keep the press pass.
..... "We'll see," Trump said when asked what makes him think his ban will survive in court this time. "depends on the judge you get, to be honest with you. I don't think a court should allow fake news to be written day after day after day."

What expert say

..... Clay Calvert, a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, called the bans "thoroughly unsurprising," particularly as Trump faces low approval ratings heading into the midterms. the institute is a Washington-based public policy think tank.
..... The news media is an "easy target" for Trump, Calvert said, and implementing the ban is likely to appeal to his political base.
..... Barring journalists from the White House or other spaces where the government operates can make it "really difficult" to get information to report to the wider public, ACLU senior policy counsel Jenna Leventoff said.
..... A federal judge blocked a press policy the Pentagon implemented in 2025 that said journalists who "solicit" information not approved for public release could lose access to the building. The Pentagon then imposed an interim press policy that required journalists to be escorted through the premises at all times, which was also struck down.
..... But the potential to get involved in a costly and time-consuming legal fight with the Trump administration may make some news outlets "think twice" about there reporting, Leventoff said.

..... Contributing: Aysha Bagchi, Zac Anderson and BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today

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