By Kazeem Ugbodaga
US President Donald Trump on Friday said he was “banning” CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, accusing the news organisations of repeatedly publishing what he described as “fake news.”
Trump said the ban was effective immediately, although there was no immediate indication that his administration had taken formal steps to enforce the declaration.
CNN reporters remained at the White House on Friday afternoon, continuing to cover the president and his administration despite Trump’s announcement.
The three news organisations named by Trump did not immediately comment on the president’s claim.
Trump made the announcement in a post on his Truth Social platform, saying the decision was a response to what he characterised as persistent false reporting about his administration.
The president did not cite any specific reports from CNN, MS NOW or Politico that he said had prompted the decision.
“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,” Trump wrote.
He added that “other Fake News Media Outlets” could also face similar action.
Trump’s declaration comes amid his long-running criticism of major US news organisations, which he has frequently accused of unfair or inaccurate coverage of his presidency.
However, the president’s post did not provide details on how the purported ban would operate, whether White House press access would be formally revoked or what specific measures would be used to prevent journalists from entering the White House complex.
The absence of an immediate enforcement action left the status of the announcement unclear, particularly as CNN journalists were still reporting from the White House hours after Trump’s post.
The White House has previously used changes in press access and media arrangements to shape how journalists cover the presidency, making the practical implications of Trump’s latest declaration a matter of potential significance for White House press coverage.
