Trump made the announcement on Friday in a post on Truth Social, saying the outlets would be banned from the White House “effective immediately”. He also suggested that other media organisations could face similar restrictions.
Trump did not identify a specific report that prompted the decision. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, he said the move was based on what he described as a pattern of coverage over several years.
The scope and enforcement of the proposed ban were not immediately clear. Journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico remained on White House grounds after Trump’s announcement, with no immediate signs that they had been removed.
Trump also mentioned The New York Times and The Washington Post when asked which other outlets could potentially face restrictions.
The announcement has raised questions over the First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Legal experts and press-freedom organisations have said that excluding news organisations because of their coverage could face constitutional challenges. The precise legal issues, however, would depend on how broadly the White House implements the restrictions.
CNN said it stood behind its White House journalists and their reporting, while Politico said it would continue covering the administration and would defend its First Amendment rights.
The Committee to Protect Journalists also criticised the move, saying the administration should not use government access to target critical coverage.
Trump has repeatedly clashed with news organisations during both of his presidencies. His administration has previously restricted access for Associated Press journalists over the agency’s decision not to adopt his preferred name for the Gulf of Mexico. The AP subsequently challenged the restrictions in court.
During Trump’s first term, federal judges also ordered the White House to restore press credentials after restrictions were imposed on individual journalists.
The latest announcement comes as the Trump administration continues to reshape the traditional system of White House press access, including the balance between established news organisations and newer media outlets.
