Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Sep 19: US President Donald Trump has announced that CNN, MS NOW and Politico will be barred from the White House, accusing the three news organisations of repeatedly reporting what he described as “fake news”.

Trump made the announcement on social media on Friday, saying the outlets should not be allowed to “write or report” what he called “fiction and lies” about the president, his administration or the United States. He also warned that other media organisations could face similar action.

Trump later told reporters in the Oval Office that there was no single incident behind the decision, describing it as the result of what he called “cumulative stories over the past few years”. When asked which other organisations could be targeted, he mentioned The New York Times and The Washington Post.

The exact scope and implementation of the proposed ban remained unclear. Journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were still working at the White House on Friday afternoon, with no immediate indication that they had been removed.

The announcement is expected to face legal challenges because restrictions on access to government facilities or press pools can raise First Amendment and due-process issues. The legal implications could depend on whether the action applies to particular events and press pools or extends to broader White House press facilities and credentials.

CNN said it stood behind its White House journalists and argued that the US Constitution protects their right to report without government interference. Politico said it would continue covering the White House and would defend its First Amendment rights. MS NOW did not immediately comment.

Press freedom organisations also criticised Trump's announcement. Seth Stern of the Freedom of the Press Foundation said excluding news organisations because of their coverage would raise serious First Amendment concerns. Jameel Jaffer of Columbia University's Knight First Amendment Institute said the Constitution bars the president from punishing journalists because he dislikes their reporting.

The move is the latest escalation in Trump's longstanding clashes with major US media organisations. During his first term, his administration sought to restrict the White House press credentials of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta and Playboy correspondent Brian Karem, but federal judges ordered their credentials restored.

Since returning to the presidency in January 2025, Trump has continued to criticise media organisations and has taken steps to alter the traditional relationship between the White House and the press. His administration previously barred The Associated Press from the presidential press pool after the news agency did not adopt Trump's preferred name for the Gulf of Mexico.