Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were denied access to the White House on Saturday, a day after President Donald Trump announced a ban on the three news organisations. Their press credentials were reportedly deactivated or confiscated at the gates.
CNN correspondent Betsy Klein and MS NOW reporter Akayla Gardner said they were stopped when they attempted to enter the White House grounds. Politico later reported that its White House correspondent, Cheyenne Haslett, was also denied entry.
Trump had announced the restrictions on Friday, accusing the outlets of producing what he described as “fake news” and coverage he considered unfavourable. He also suggested that other media organisations could face similar action.
The three organisations have rejected the restrictions and indicated they will challenge them. CNN called the move an attack on its constitutional right to report without government interference, while MS NOW and Politico said they would defend their First Amendment rights.
The White House Correspondents’ Association has also called for the journalists’ access to be restored, warning that excluding outlets over their coverage could set a precedent for wider restrictions on the press.
The dispute has renewed a long-running confrontation between the Trump administration and news organisations over press access and the limits of presidential authority. The latest move is likely to face legal scrutiny, with press-freedom groups arguing that the First Amendment protects journalists from government retaliation based on their reporting.
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