Trump bans CNN, MSNBC, Politico from White House, threatens other outlets

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he was banning CNN, MSNBC and Politico from the White House, accusing the outlets of reporting “fiction and lies” and threatening that other unnamed media organisations would face a similar fate.

“I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW… and Politico… from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, adding that media outlets “shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States.”

Speaking later in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters the decision was driven by cumulative negative coverage over two years. “You get sick of it,” he said, alleging the outlets “purposely write negative news” to undermine Republicans.

According to Vanguard, the move drew immediate accusations of unconstitutionality, with critics warning courts would overturn the ban.

It is extremely rare for US presidents to outright bar news organisations from White House access — although Trump banned a CNN reporter during his first term and Richard Nixon restricted The Washington Post during the Watergate scandal.

In his second term, Trump has progressively tightened controls over White House media access, including taking control of which journalists can cover events in restricted spaces such as the Oval Office and Air Force One.