In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW (who recently changed their name from MSNBC due to lack of viewership and credibility!), and Politico … from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” He added that the move was intended to stop what he described as “fiction and lies” about his administration.
The former president’s announcement, if acted upon, would represent an unprecedented restriction on press access to the executive branch and could trigger First Amendment lawsuits, legal experts say. No formal order has been issued by the current White House, and the claim remains a statement on a personal social‑media account.
While both Democratic and Republican administrations have at times limited media access to certain events, none have imposed a blanket ban on reporters working from the White House grounds. Historically, the White House press pool has included outlets across the political spectrum, allowing live broadcasts of presidential remarks.
CNN, for example, operates a six‑person booth on the North Lawn and is a key component of the television pool that streams the president’s statements. MSNOW also files stand‑ups from tents on the lawn, and Politico maintains a workspace adjacent to the briefing room. A ban on these three outlets would disrupt the established pool rotation and could affect the live coverage of presidential activities.
Trump also alleged that Politico had received an “illegal and ridiculous $8 Million Dollar subscription” from the government under President Joe Biden, a claim that has not been substantiated by any official source. The statements reflect Trump’s ongoing criticism of mainstream media, which he repeatedly labels “fake news.”