United States: US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he might bar other media outlets from the White House, hours after saying CNN, MS NOW and Politico were banned.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that he was banning the outlets from the White House for allegedly 'reporting FAKE NEWS' in a move that is likely to be challenged as conflicting with the US Constitution's First Amendment protections for free speech and a free press.
The White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) and the National Press Club condemned Trump's plan to ban the three major news outlets from the White House.
On Friday, Trump accused the outlets of 'reporting FAKE NEWS' in a social media post and said they "shouldn't be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they're covering the President of the United States." Trump added, "Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow."
WHCA President Jacqui Heinrich said in a post on social media that the Constitution protects the freedom of the press from government interference.
"This is about more than the rights of journalists. It is about the right of the American people to receive a full and independent account of the activities, policies and decisions of whoever occupies the nation's highest office," her statement said.
The president said it plainly in the Oval Office, describing his own planned action as a “ban on the free press.”
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) September 18, 2026
The Constitution protects the freedom of the press from government interference. That protection does not depend on whether the president likes a news organization’s…
The National Press Club said in a statement from its president, Mark Schoeff Jr., that banning news organisations from the White House based on the administration's disapproval of their coverage is a "clear attempt to control which voices are allowed to witness and report on the exercise of presidential power."
The extent of the ban announced by Trump was not immediately clear, and the legality of any move could depend on its scope.
Courts have given presidents broad discretion over selective access to events such as Oval Office meetings and small press pools, while broader exclusions from generally available White House press facilities or credentials could face stronger challenges under the First Amendment and constitutional protections for due process.
-With inputs from Reuters
