Trump says CNN, MS NOW and Politico are banned from White House, with more outlets potentially to follow

President Donald Trump says CNN, MS NOW and Politico are banned from the White House, accusing the three news organisations of repeatedly publishing false reporting about him and his administration.

Trump announced the decision on Friday and said it was effective immediately.

He accused the outlets of reporting what he described as “fiction and lies” and initially said other news organisations would follow. Later on Friday, he said he might bar additional outlets and that the restrictions could extend “as far as you can.”

Exactly how the ban will operate was not immediately clear.

CNN reporter Brian Stelter said the network’s White House team was still working there following Trump’s announcement. CNN, MS NOW and Politico had not immediately responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.

First Amendment challenge expected

The announcement is expected to generate a legal fight over the First Amendment protections afforded to the press.

It also follows previous disputes over White House access.

Last year, the administration excluded the Associated Press from the usual presidential press pool after the organisation continued using the name Gulf of Mexico rather than Trump’s preferred “Gulf of America.”

The current announcement goes further by naming three major news organisations and suggesting additional outlets could also lose access.

Trump argues that news organisations should not be entitled to White House access while repeatedly publishing coverage he regards as false.

The dispute therefore extends beyond whether CNN, MS NOW or Politico produce fair or accurate journalism.

The broader issue is whether the government should determine journalists’ access to the presidency according to its assessment of their reporting.

The practical scope of Trump’s announced ban — and any legal challenge to it — has yet to become clear.

Sources

• Reuters – Trump announces White House media exclusions