CNN has described US President Donald Trump’s announced ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House as an “illegal assault” on a constitutionally protected press freedom.
Trump announced the move on Friday through his Truth Social account, accusing the three outlets of repeatedly publishing what he called “fake news” about him, his administration and the United States.
The president did not cite specific reports to support the allegations in his announcement. He said the ban was effective immediately and warned that other media organisations could face similar restrictions.
CNN responded by defending its White House reporting and saying its journalists had a constitutional right to work without government interference.
“CNN stands fully behind our White House team and their fair and accurate reporting,” the network said. It added that any ban would constitute an “illegal assault” on its constitutionally protected right to report.
The announcement immediately raised questions over how the proposed restrictions would be implemented and whether they could withstand a legal challenge.
CNN journalists were still working at the White House on Friday afternoon, with no immediate indication that they had been removed from the premises.
Trump’s announcement comes against the backdrop of repeated disputes between his administration and major news organisations over access and coverage.
During Trump’s first term, the White House temporarily revoked the press credentials of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta after a contentious exchange with the president at a 2018 news conference. CNN challenged the decision in court, and a federal judge ordered the White House to restore Acosta’s access while the case proceeded.
The administration has also previously restricted Associated Press access after the news agency declined to adopt the administration’s preferred name for the Gulf of Mexico. A federal judge later ruled that the White House had to restore AP access to presidential spaces, although litigation over access to more restricted areas continued.
Press freedom groups have also criticised the latest announcement.
The Committee to Protect Journalists said the decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico violated First Amendment rights and represented an escalation in the administration’s dealings with critical news organisations.
Trump, however, has maintained that media organisations should not be permitted to report what he considers false information about the presidency.
In his Truth Social post, he accused the outlets of reporting “fiction and lies” and said other organisations could also be targeted.
The immediate scope of the proposed ban remains unclear, including whether it will affect White House briefings, presidential events, press-pool assignments or journalists’ physical access to the complex.
The dispute is likely to put First Amendment protections and presidential control over White House media access at the centre of another legal confrontation between the Trump administration and the US press.
