Trump's White House media ban takes effect: CNN, MS NOW reporters turned away
MS NOW says it intends to take 'any and all steps necessary' to defend its First Amendment rights
Published September 19, 2026
The United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump's ban on three major news organisations has started taking effect, with reporters from CNN and MS NOW being turned away from the White House on Saturday.
The 47th POTUS announced a day earlier that CNN, MS NOW and Politico were banned “effective immediately,” accusing them of repeatedly reporting what he called “fake news.”
At first, not much seemed to change. Journalists from the outlets were still working from the White House on Friday afternoon.
By Saturday morning, things were different. MS NOW correspondent Akayla Gardner arrived at the White House with a cameraman but found that their hard passes no longer worked.
Gardner said a security officer asked for her badge and told her it had been disabled. When she asked why, she was told the decision came from above him.
CBS News, which had reporters at the scene, also saw CNN White House reporter Betsy Klein and a cameraman attempt to enter before eventually leaving without their badges.
Politico was also named in Trump's ban, although there had been no similar report of its journalists being turned away as of Saturday morning.
Trump has not pointed to a particular CNN, MS NOW or Politico story as the reason for his decision.
Instead, he accused the outlets generally of publishing “FICTION and LIES” about him, his administration and the country. And he suggested the list might grow. “Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow,” Trump wrote.
Can a president simply ban a news organisation from the White House because he doesn't like its reporting?
During Trump's first term, the White House revoked CNN reporter Jim Acosta's press pass following a heated exchange with the president in 2018.
CNN went to court and Acosta's pass was restored.
More recently, the Trump administration restricted the Associated Press after the news agency continued using “Gulf of Mexico” while acknowledging Trump's decision to rename it the “Gulf of America” for the US government.
A federal judge ordered the White House to restore AP access to certain presidential spaces, although litigation over access to smaller, restricted areas has continued.
The latest ban could now produce another court fight.
MS NOW says it intends to take “any and all steps necessary” to defend its First Amendment rights.
CNN said attempts to restrict its physical access would not stop its journalists from covering the administration.
The White House Correspondents' Association has also backed the three outlets, saying they were being singled out for doing their jobs.
Trump, meanwhile, says he supports freedom of the press but believes the press must be “fair and honest.”
