Trump says he's banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House

Sep 18, 2026

President Donald Trump announced on September 18, 2026, that he is banning CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House "effective immediately," accusing them of publishing "fake news" and "fiction." Despite the declaration, reporters from the targeted outlets remained in their White House workspaces, and no immediate steps toward enforcement were observed. The move escalates Trump's ongoing friction with the press and is expected to trigger major First Amendment legal challenges.

White House media ban announcement

▪President Donald Trump accused Politico of receiving an illegal $8 million subscription directly from the United States government under President Joe Biden to keep the outlet alive
▪President Donald Trump threatened on September 18, 2026, that bans on other media outlets would follow the restrictions placed on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico
▪President Donald Trump announced on September 18, 2026, that he is banning CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, effective immediately
▪President Donald Trump singled out MS NOW by claiming the network changed its name from MSNBC due to a lack of viewership and credibility
▪President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that his announced ban of CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House was due to their constant reporting of what he characterized as fake news, fiction, and lies

Trump's history of press restrictions

▪President Donald Trump barred Associated Press journalists from the Oval Office, Air Force One, and other small press events in February 2025 after the outlet refused to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America
▪President Donald Trump has pursued legal action against several news organizations since returning to office, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the BBC
▪The White House revoked the press credentials of CNN's chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta in November 2018, which was temporarily restored by a federal judge before being permanently reinstated

First Amendment legal challenges

▪The Associated Press filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the Associated Press's exclusion from presidential spaces, resulting in an ongoing legal dispute where a federal appeals court temporarily allowed the administration to ban the outlet from smaller restricted spaces
▪Legal experts and commentators noted that President Donald Trump's September 18, 2026 announced ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico is highly likely to face legal challenges for violating First Amendment press freedom protections

Ban implementation status

▪CNN, MS NOW, Politico, and the National Press Club did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding President Donald Trump's September 18, 2026 announcement banning CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House
▪As of September 18, 2026, CNN reporters remained seated in their White House workspace, and there was no indication that the Trump administration had taken steps to implement President Trump's ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico announced that day

CNN pool reporter role

▪A CNN team continued to travel as the assigned television pool reporters with Vice President JD Vance on September 18, 2026, despite President Trump's ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House announced that day
▪Blocking CNN's White House access could disrupt the traditional five-network television pool that travels with President Donald Trump to provide independent coverage of presidential actions