Trump Announces CNN, MSNOW, Politico White House Ban

On September 18, 2026, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that CNN, MS NOW and Politico are banned from the White House effective immediately. He wrote he was proud to ban them for constant reporting of fake news and said media outlets should not report fiction and lies when covering the president, his administration or the United States. Other outlets would follow, he said. He also alleged without details that an $8 million Biden-era government subscription to Politico was corrupt. Press teams from the outlets were present and uncertain about access; journalists from them remained at the White House afterward. Trump spoke to reporters in the Oval Office shortly after during a health care event. The three outlets had not immediately responded, according to Reuters. Al Jazeera's Alan Fisher reported from Washington that a legal challenge was likely, saying the First Amendment says the government cannot restrict this kind of access and that earlier presidents angry at coverage were told bans were not a good look. In February 2025 the AP was barred from the Oval Office, Air Force One and small events for refusing naming; that case continues. Trump has pursued legal action against the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and BBC. How the ban will be enforced and whether it affects the five-network TV pool remained unresolved.