“Well, the president hasn't denied access. That's not the right way to describe it. … What the president has said is that he is sick and tired of certain media outlets just refusing to report accurate news … It is a privilege to be in the White House for anybody. … When you say denied access to Air Force One, the White House routinely decides who can go on Air Force One.
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Trump Bans CNN, MS NOW and Politico From the White House "Effective Immediately," Saying They "Shouldn't Be Able to Constantly Write or Report FICTION and LIES" — the Next Morning the Secret Service Takes Their Reporters' Passes, and Chuck Schumer Says "Donald Trump Just Did What Dictators Throughout History Have Done"
September 18, 2026
On Friday, September 18, 2026, President Trump announced on Truth Social that he was banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House "effective immediately," writing 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, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America," and warning that other outlets could follow. In the Oval Office the same day he said "there's something wrong with a country that can allow people to write purposely negative stuff." On the morning of Saturday, September 19, reporters from the three outlets — MS NOW's Akayla Gardner, CNN's Betsy Klein and Politico's Cheyenne Haslett among them — were turned away from the White House grounds and had their press passes taken by the Secret Service. Trump cited "cumulative stories over the last few years" but did not identify any specific report. All three organizations said they would defend their First Amendment rights. The White House Correspondents' Association, led by Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich, said it "stands in defense of our colleagues," and First Amendment lawyers called the ban textbook viewpoint discrimination. The ban follows the administration's earlier exclusion of the Associated Press from White House venues, which courts found unconstitutional. Democratic leaders condemned the move as authoritarian; as of September 19, no Republican member of Congress had publicly criticized it.
31
Statements Recorded
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31 Statements
“Well, I hear you, Jake, but I think we need fair, and objective, and well-sourced reporting. … There are over what, 50 seats in the press room. I don't think all of them, like Washington Post or New York Times, are exactly positive towards this administration. So that's a false narrative that it's about negative reporting. We need fair and objective reporting for the country. And that's President Trump's point.
“Why should perpetrators of FAKE NEWS, like CNN and MSDNC, be allowed access to a very sacred place, the White House? … Despite my big Election Win, almost 100% of 'TRUMP' coverage is negative, and has been for years! … FAKE NEWS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE WHITE HOUSE!!! IT HAS GONE ON FAR TOO LONG, AT A TREMENDOUS COST TO OUR COUNTRY
“CNN and MSDNC, to show you how fake they are, today refused to cover one of the Biggest and Most Beautiful Events to take place in many years, the arrival at the White House of the Highly Respected President of China, Xi Jinping, and his beautiful wife, Madam Peng. The event was magnificent — Actually made for Television but, because they're Fake News, and because they knew how good it would be, they didn't want credit to be given to 'TRUMP,' they refused to be there. … That's why they have such poor Ratings.
“I think you follow the court order, yeah. I mean, you can appeal. Obviously, there's a process. … They need to follow the court order.
“[Trump's] desperate, repressive media ban is flagrantly unconstitutional. … No president should be able to use censorship to escape accountability. … Is Trump so fragile, so thin-skinned, so desperate that he can't handle reporting that reflects the truth that he doesn't want to hear?
“To me, the White House should probably be able to determine who, what cameras are in the White House.
“So I can understand why the president of the United States doesn't want the news outlets that are aiding and abetting our enemies into his workspace.
“I think the courts are going to make quick work of it. I think the courts are going to step in and they'll make a decision because it's an important issue to resolve.
“I am interested in more openness from the White House on all matters, and you've got to have somebody with a microphone and a camera in order to translate that.
“You should never ban the press. Just because you don't like what the press is reporting, or the fact that they wouldn't call it the Gulf of America or something else like that, that's not the reason to ban the press. The press is what keeps us honest.
“You should not be here covering me. You said you weren't going to cover me. … By the way, they say there weren't going to be here, but they came. I knew that would happen. … I think when news is fake and it's actually dangerous, you have to clear it out. … It's very dangerous for our country. I won't stand for it. [On the federal judge hearing the outlets' First Amendment lawsuit:] This is a judge who is not a particularly fair judge.
“I have my notes here that I'm supposed to take questions from CNN and Politico. Anybody from CNN and Politico here? No.
“The president's point is that there has been a lot of fake news, there has been a lot of, he's been treated very unfairly. But, we'll see how that shakes out. There has been a lawsuit filed. We'll see how it shakes out. … I've been greatly frustrated that he's gotten such unfair treatment in the press. And some of those outlets have been pretty brutal to him and they have said things that are blatantly untrue. They do it about me as well.
“We're not closing CNN. There aren't a bunch of police officers or soldiers kicking down the doors of MSNBC or MS NOW, whatever it's called, and arresting people and unplugging it from the grid. They're just not allowed to work from the workspace at the White House. … What he is arguing is, why should I have these people, what right do they have to be embedded in this building? They can cover the White House. They just can't have a desk there.
“I think you have to treat everybody the same in terms of their access to government. … I agree with the diagnosis. I don't agree with the cure. [Kennedy added that he did not agree with cancel culture.]
“[Welch called the ban] outrageous and cowardly[, and said Trump was trying to find a way out of having to answer questions.]
“That's why I've been critical — I can't, I can't be critical as I have been with Pete Hegseth, and when you see the same behavior, not have the same observation. So I think it's a mistake.
“I don't think you'd see restricting the press in any handbooks on leading the free world.
“[Statement from Moore's office:] Congressman Moore does not agree with this recent decision and believes that, unless they are committing slander or libel, all media should have access to the White House.
“No, I believe the press has an obligation to report fairly. … We all respect and value the freedom of the press — it's in the Constitution. … He was banned from Twitter. He was banned from Facebook, and I didn't see people come to his defense. So it goes both ways. The press has an obligation to report fairly, and the president doesn't see it happening that way. … The bottom line on all of this is: This is not going to have an impact on an election 44 days from now.
“What bothers me is not only this violation of the Constitution, but remember, in unprecedented ways he's using his Justice Department to persecute reporters. … He has basically said, 'If you break stories on me I don't like, my Justice Department is going to investigate you.' … This President has no regard for the First Amendment. He's going after reporters, and this ban just doubled down on that.
“I don't know why he did it. I don't know what the background is. … I don't think we've seen a president that's been more open to the press. … You go to a bill signing with President Trump, and the first thing he does before he even signs the bill is he brings in the press, and everybody gets to not only take pictures but ask questions.
“The president seems to have a real problem with the Constitution, whether it is the freedom of the press, whether it is voting rights, whether it is state rights. … The Founding Fathers of this country found it to be so important that they made things like the freedom of the press and free speech and freedom of assembly part of the First Amendment. The first thing they wanted to get done. … The president continues to use the Constitution like it is a suggestion box, simply because he does not like the coverage. … I would just hope that this administration would spend a little bit of time reading instead of just talking.
“It's very clear that Donald Trump is running the United States like a state-run, controlled authoritarian government.
“You need a fair and honest press. … It's sick. I mean, there's something wrong with a country that can allow people to write purposely negative stuff. … I like to see honest press.
“Media Outlets shouldn't be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they're covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America.
“Whether it survives or doesn't, I think that somebody has a right to keep them away if they're going to write false stories all the time.
“Donald Trump just did what dictators throughout history have done. @realDonaldTrump - this is a democracy. You will not be able to manipulate the news or hide the truth.
“[This is] North Korea levels of censorship.
“This is yet another attack on the First Amendment from a president who knows he and his party of bootlickers are deeply unpopular. … Donald Trump can't hide from his failing record, so he's banning journalists he doesn't like to keep you from hearing about it.