Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were denied access to the White House on Saturday, after United States President Donald Trump banned the three media outlets.
The move, announced by Trump a day earlier and enforced when journalists arrived for work, drew swift condemnation from major American media outlets, which argued that barring reporters based on their coverage violates the country’s constitution.
The decision comes as the president faces mounting political pressure ahead of the midterm elections, including criticism over the war in the Middle East, rising living costs and other domestic issues.
Trump defends ban
In a Truth Social post on Friday, the US president announced the ban and called the three news outlets “fake news,” a label he has repeatedly used to dismiss reporting critical of his administration.
“I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW…and Politico…from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” Trump wrote.
Trump did not cite a specific story as the reason for his decision, only that it was a result of his frustration in the last two years.
Also on Friday, Trump lashed out at a Bloomberg News reporter who asked about the ban and if the president seeks to intimidate the media.
“No, no, no, no. I dislike dishonest press, like you. I think you’re terrible,” Trump answered, as quoted in a report by NPR.
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Reporters turned away
By Saturday morning, CNN reporter Betsy Klein, a reporter from Politico and an MS NOW reporter and photographer were denied access to the White House.
Their press badges were deactivated, according to CNN’s report.
“I asked him if he could provide an explanation as to why it had been deactivated,” Klein said in the report.
“He said he had no further information. I asked him once more if he had any more details he could share with me, and he said that I should be referred to the White House Press Office.”
Meanwhile, MS NOW correspondent Akayla Gardner was told to hand over her badge to an officer.
“He said that it was disabled. I asked why I was not able to get inside. He said it was above him,” Gardner said in the report.
Media vows legal fight
The three news organisations vowed to pursue legal action, arguing that the ban violated their First Amendment rights.
“Early today, CNN journalists were denied access to the White House grounds. CNN’s mission to report on the US government will continue regardless of any attempts to restrict physical access to the White House and other government buildings, or any other attempts to impede our journalism,” CNN’s statement 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.”
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Outlets defend press freedom
Meanwhile, MS NOW “intends to take any and all steps necessary to defend our First Amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalism in our democracy.”
“We stand firmly behind our anchors, our reporters, and our newsroom. We will continue to report on the President, the administration, and the issues that impact the American people,” it added.
Politico issued a similar response, saying it would defend its First Amendment rights.
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press also called the president’s move “flatly unconstitutional.”
“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,” president of the committee, Bruce D Brown, said in CNN’s report.
“This is textbook viewpoint discrimination and will be quickly struck down by the courts if challenged.”
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