The White House is officially in the middle of a major media firestorm. President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he is banning CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the premises, citing what he calls their “constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS.”
Taking to Truth Social, Trump didn’t hold back, declaring that media outlets “shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the Untied States.” He also dropped a warning that “other outlets” could be next on the chopping block, though he didn’t name names.
The announcement left everyone wondering if the reporters would be escorted out immediately, but as of Friday afternoon, it wasn’t clear if anyone had actually been removed from the grounds. In fact, CNN confirmed that their team was still on-site. Given that the First Amendment guarantees freedom of the press, it’s highly likely these organizations will take the battle to court.
When asked about the sudden ban in the Oval Office, Trump explained that the decision was the result of “cumulative stories over the last few years.” He didn’t point to one specific report, and a White House spokesperson simply directed inquiries back to the President’s own comments.
This isn’t the first time the administration has tried to shake up its relationship with the press.
Shortly after taking office, Trump famously banned the Associated Press from the Oval Office, Air Force One, and other events after the outlet declined his request to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.”
As of now, CNN, MS NOW, and Politico have not released statements regarding the ban. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this developing situation as the drama unfolds.