Trump Accused of 'Unconstitutional' Act as Reporters Face White House Ban

President Donald Trump said Friday he is barring CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House. By Saturday morning, an MS NOW reporter and photographer had their badges confiscated, CNN's reporter was told her badge had been deactivated, and Politico's reporter had her pass revoked, the BBC reported.

Why it matters

The ban tests whether the White House can bar credentialed outlets over their coverage, a First Amendment question. Press freedom groups warn the same standard could later target any outlet officials dislike.

Key points

• Trump said in a Friday post he is banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, citing "FAKE NEWS" coverage.
• Reporters from all three outlets had White House badges confiscated or deactivated by Saturday.
• CNN, the White House Correspondents' Association and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press say the ban is unconstitutional.

Trump's social media post

Trump wrote on his social media site that effective immediately, "I am banning" the three outlets "from the White House as a result of their constant 'reporting' FAKE NEWS!"

"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. "Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow."

The post gave no details on enforcement, the Associated Press reported. Trump later said "it's really just cumulative stories over the last few years," according to the BBC.

Asked which outlets might be next, he replied: "Others to come in terms of fake news? Well, you know, the New York Times is fake news, the Washington Post is fake news."

In the Oval Office, Trump said, "I think that somebody has a right to keep them away if they're going to write false stories all the time," France 24 reported.

Journalists denied access

"The officer asked me to hand over my badge. He said that it was disabled," MS NOW reporter Akayla Gardner said, according to the BBC.

CNN's Betsy Klein said a Secret Service agent informed her that her badge no longer worked, and Politico said Secret Service revoked reporter Cheyenne Haslett's pass, according to the BBC.

Press freedom groups respond

All three outlets said the ban violates their constitutional rights. CNN said, "We have a right under the US Constitution to do our reporting without hindrance or interference from the government and this ban is an illegal assault on this fundamental right."

The White House Correspondents' Association urged the administration "to immediately restore" access, the BBC reported. "The implications extend beyond these organizations: a standard used to exclude one news outlet because of its coverage could be applied to any outlet in the future," said WHCA President Jacqui Heinrich, who works for Fox News.

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press said the ban was "flatly unconstitutional" and predicted courts would swiftly reverse it, according to the BBC. Its president, Bruce Brown, said, "The First Amendment is clear that once the White House invites in some journalists, it can't ban others because it doesn't like their reporting."

In February 2025, Trump barred Associated Press journalists from the Oval Office, Air Force One and other small events after it refused to rename the Gulf of Mexico, NPR reported. The AP sued, and the case is ongoing.