Donald Trump Bans CNN and More From White House, Says the Country 'Needs Honest News'

Donald Trump said three major news organizations will no longer be welcome at the White House.

On Friday, September 18, the president announced that he is banning CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, accusing the outlets of publishing "fake news."

However, as of late Friday afternoon, journalists from all three organizations remained on White House grounds, and Trump had not explained how the ban would be implemented.

Trump announced the decision on social media, saying it is effective immediately and blaming what he characterized as the outlets' inaccurate coverage.

Minutes later, Trump was asked about the move during an Oval Office event and reiterated his criticism of the three organizations.

"Because they're fake news," Trump said, before suggesting additional outlets could eventually face similar restrictions.

Trump indicated CNN, MS NOW and Politico might not be the only organizations affected.

"There may be others to join them," he told reporters, arguing that the country needs "honest news."

The president did not provide details about what being "banned" would entail, including whether reporters would lose White House credentials or access to specific events.

CNN pushed back against Trump's announcement and defended its White House reporting.

The network said it has a constitutional right to report without government interference and argued that implementing the threatened ban would violate that protection.

Politico similarly said it would continue covering the administration and "vigorously defend" its First Amendment rights against efforts to restrict its access. MS NOW had not immediately responded.

The threatened restrictions quickly drew criticism from press freedom organizations.

The legal issue centers in part on "viewpoint discrimination," which involves the government treating speakers differently because of what they say or publish. The National Press Club argued that barring organizations because officials disapprove of their reporting would restrict which journalists can directly observe presidential activity.

A 1977 federal appeals court ruling, Sherrill v. Knight, held that although the White House isn't obligated to provide press facilities, once it establishes access to credentialed journalists, it cannot deny that access based on the content of their coverage without satisfying constitutional and procedural requirements.

The announcement comes amid other disputes between the Trump administration and news organizations.

The White House previously restricted Associated Press reporters' access to certain presidential events after AP declined to adopt Trump's preferred "Gulf of America" name exclusively for the Gulf of Mexico. AP sued, and that litigation remains ongoing.

Trump and his administration have also been involved in legal or regulatory disputes with other media organizations during his second term.

Despite Trump's declaration that the restrictions were taking effect immediately, there was no indication late Friday afternoon that reporters from CNN, MS NOW or Politico had actually been removed from the White House.

CNN was also participating in the television press pool traveling with Vice President J.D. Vance in Iowa on Friday.