Trump White House Bars CNN, MS NOW, Politico From Press Access
By John Damon | Just The News Iowa
President Donald Trump's White House has revoked press credentials for reporters from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, a sweeping move that First Amendment experts say is unconstitutional and that the news organizations have vowed to fight in court.
The action came Saturday morning when CNN's Betsy Klein, MS NOW's Akayla Gardner, and Politico's Cheyenne Haslett were all denied entry to the White House grounds. Secret Service agents told the reporters their press badges had been deactivated, according to accounts from the journalists.
Klein said a Secret Service agent informed her that her pass was no longer active. When she pressed for an explanation, the agent referred her to the White House Press Office. Gardner described a similar scene, saying an officer asked her to hand over her badge and told her it was disabled.
The move follows Trump's Friday announcement that he was banning the three outlets from the White House, effective immediately. The president offered no specific complaints about their coverage, instead repeating his familiar criticism of what he calls fake news.
News organizations promise legal action
All three outlets signaled they will take legal action to defend their reporters' First Amendment rights.
CNN said in a statement that it has a right under the U.S. Constitution to report without government interference and called the ban an illegal assault on a fundamental right.
MS NOW said it intends to take all necessary steps to defend its First Amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalism. Politico's global editor-in-chief, Jonathan Greenberger, wrote in a memo to staff that the outlet will vigorously defend its rights.
The White House Correspondents' Association, which represents the press corps, condemned the ban as a violation of the First Amendment and called on the administration to restore access immediately.
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, the association said.
What does this mean for Iowa and the press pool?
The ban has practical implications beyond the three outlets. CNN is one of five networks in the White House television pool rotation, responsible for covering the president at all times. That pool shares footage with other news organizations, making it the primary way Americans see the president on camera.
Notably, a CNN team served as the television pool for Vice President JD Vance's trip to Iowa on Friday. CNN is also scheduled to be the pool on Monday when Trump travels to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
The five major networks are in active discussions about how to respond, according to sources familiar with the matter.
First Amendment experts call the ban unconstitutional
Bruce D. Brown, president of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said the ban is flatly unconstitutional.
The First Amendment is clear that once the White House invites in some journalists, it can't ban others because it doesn't like their reporting, Brown said. This is textbook viewpoint discrimination and will be quickly struck down by the courts if challenged.
Clayton Weimers, executive director of Reporters Without Borders North America, said the president is trying to control who covers him.
Press access is not a privilege for journalists, Weimers said. It's a right to ensure the American people can be independently informed.
Political context: Midterms, Iran, and the economy
Many commentators noted the ban comes as Trump faces mounting pressure over an unpopular war in Iran, rising gas prices, and cost-of-living concerns heading into the midterm elections. Bashing the media has been a staple of Trump's political messaging for a decade, but in his second term he has increasingly taken concrete steps to limit press access.
Some White House staffers, including members of the press shop, were caught off guard by the announcement, according to a source familiar with the matter. The source said those staffers were left scrambling to learn more details.
As of Saturday, crews from MS NOW and CNN were reporting live from outside the White House perimeter, while photographers and tourists looked on, a reflection of the unprecedented situation.
What happens next?
The legal challenges from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico are expected to move quickly. Courts have historically been skeptical of White House efforts to exclude journalists based on the content of their coverage.
For now, the three outlets remain barred from the White House grounds, and the broader press corps is watching closely to see whether the ban extends to other organizations or affects the television pool rotation.
The White House Correspondents' Association has urged the administration to immediately restore access, warning that the precedent could be applied to any outlet in the future.
Frequently asked questions
Why were CNN, MS NOW, and Politico banned from the White House?
President Trump announced the ban on Friday without citing specific stories, instead repeating his generic criticism of fake news. The White House has not provided further explanation.
Is it legal for the president to ban news outlets from the White House?
First Amendment experts say no. Once the White House opens press access to some journalists, it cannot exclude others based on their reporting. Legal challenges are expected.
How does this affect Iowans?
The ban could limit the diversity of reporting on the president and his administration, including coverage of issues important to Iowa such as agriculture, energy, and the economy. It also affects the television pool that provides video of the president to all news organizations.