Trump Enforces White House Ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico Journalists

The White House has begun enforcing President Donald Trump's ban on three news organizations, denying their journalists entry to the grounds and confiscating press credentials on Saturday morning. MS NOW, CNN and Politico all reported that their reporters were turned away, a day after Trump announced on Truth Social that he was barring the outlets because of coverage he called "fake news."

MS NOW correspondent Akayla Gardner said she passed through two security gates without issue, but when she scanned her badge at the entrance to the White House grounds, it beeped red. An officer told her the badge was disabled and asked her to hand it over. When she asked why, he said the decision was "above him." An MS NOW photographer's badge was also disabled, though a producer was able to enter with her badge still active.

CNN White House reporter Betsy Klein said a Secret Service agent took her badge after telling her it had been deactivated, and she was referred to the White House press office for further information. Politico said its reporter Cheyenne Haslett was denied entry and that the Secret Service confiscated her access pass.

“The White House belongs to the American people and the decisions made inside are funded by our tax dollars. MS NOW intends to take any and all steps necessary to defend our First Amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalism in our democracy.”

: MS NOW spokesperson

The White House Correspondents' Association, led by Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich, condemned the move and called on the administration to immediately restore access. "The implications extend beyond these organizations: a standard used to exclude one news outlet because of its coverage could be applied to any outlet in the future," Heinrich said.

Trump announced the ban on Friday, accusing the outlets of reporting "FICTION and LIES" about his administration. He did not cite specific stories, telling reporters that his frustration had built over "cumulative stories over the last few years." He also warned that other outlets, including The New York Times and The Washington Post, could face similar action.

Legal experts and press freedom advocates said the ban is unconstitutional. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press called it "flatly unconstitutional," and the Knight First Amendment Institute said the White House press pool is a public forum that cannot exclude journalists based on viewpoint. The move follows a 2025 decision to restrict Associated Press access over the outlet's refusal to call the Gulf of Mexico the "Gulf of America," a case still being appealed.

The three outlets have indicated they may take legal action. CNN said the ban is "an illegal assault on this fundamental right," and Politico Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Greenberger said the company will "vigorously defend" its First Amendment rights. It remains unclear how the courts will apply the 1977 Sherrill v. Knight ruling, which held that once the White House provides press access, it cannot deny it arbitrarily.