President Donald Trump’s decision to ban CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House has drawn a lawsuit from the three outlets and a report from CNN pointing to a specific moment that may have triggered the move.
CNN reported Monday that White House aide Natalie Harp showed Trump a Politico graphic and television news clips last week, shortly before he announced the ban. Citing unnamed people familiar with the matter, CNN said one source believed the Politico graphic angered the president and factored into his decision.
Trump announced the ban Friday in a post on Truth Social, writing that he was barring the outlets “effective immediately” over their reporting. He specifically criticized MS NOW, which he noted had recently changed its name from MSNBC, and Politico, which he said had received an “illegal and ridiculous $8 Million Dollar subscription” from the government under President Biden.
“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!”
According to CNN’s reporting, the announcement caught several Trump advisers off guard, including staff who regularly deal with the press corps. The network said Trump had been frustrated by coverage of recent legal and congressional setbacks and by reporting on Republicans’ odds in the midterm elections.
Notably, some of the president’s senior team were not at the White House when the ban was announced. Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was away from the building, and Vice President JD Vance was still traveling back from a campaign stop in Iowa, CNN reported.
The ban took effect Saturday. Journalists from the three outlets were turned away at the White House gates, and CNN correspondent Betsy Klein had her credential confiscated, the network said.
Outlets sue over lost access
CNN, Politico and MS NOW filed a joint lawsuit Monday seeking to have their access restored, arguing the credentials were pulled without warning or due process because the administration objected to their coverage.
“Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting,” the outlets said in a joint statement. “Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference.”
Trump has said the outlets could regain access if they “could straighten themselves out,” but has not laid out specific conditions for lifting the ban.
