Trump bans 3 media outlets, including CNN, from White House

Image: Collected

Accusing them of spreading "fake news," U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a ban on CNN, MS Now, and Politico from the White House, according to Al Jazeera.

In a post on Truth Social on Friday (September 18), Trump stated that these outlets were immediately banned from accessing the White House due to their "false news" reporting about his administration.

"Media outlets should not be allowed to regularly spread fiction and lies when reporting on the President of the United States, the Trump administration, or the country," Trump wrote, while hinting that action would also be taken against several other news organizations.

Later on Friday, responding to questions from reporters, Trump said that The New York Times and The Washington Post also publish what he called "fake news."

Speaking to journalists at the White House, Trump alleged that these outlets "intentionally publish negative news."

"You get tired of reading and watching fake news. They intentionally publish negative news because they want to try to weaken Republicans and a Republican administration," he said.

Legal challenges against Trump's decision could come quickly, Al Jazeera reported. Reporting from Washington, Al Jazeera's Alan Fisher noted that the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of the press and protection from government interference.

He added that previous U.S. presidents have also been angered by press reports, but taking steps like banning media outlets from the White House has raised questions in the past as well.

CNN condemned Trump's announcement, stating that its White House reporting team delivers "fair and accurate" news.

A CNN spokesperson told Al Jazeera that under the U.S. Constitution, they have the right to gather and report news without government obstruction or interference.

The spokesperson added that if Trump's ban is enforced, it will be challenged as an "illegal attack" on these constitutional rights.

Politico also stated that it will continue to report fairly on current and future U.S. administrations. The media outlet said it would legally fight any attempt to restrict First Amendment rights.

Additionally, Politico rejected another claim by Trump that it had received government subsidies, calling it "false" and noting that the claim has already been proven "unfounded."

MS Now did not immediately comment on Trump's announcement.

Since coming to power, Trump has regularly leveled allegations against the press, claiming that many news organizations publish biased and negative reports about his administration.

Recently, Trump also criticized media outlets following reports that a potential war with Iran was putting pressure on U.S. weapons stockpiles. At the time, he labeled the media outlets publishing those reports as "traitorous scum."

Various press freedom and human rights organizations have criticized Trump's latest decision.

Reporters Without Borders, an organization advocating for press freedom, expressed outrage over the threat to ban CNN, MS Now News, and Politico from the White House simply because Trump disliked their reporting.

The organization asserted that press access is not a special privilege for journalists, but a necessary right to ensure that the American public can freely stay informed.

Amnesty International also accused the Trump administration of attempting to silence critical news reporting.

Source: Al Jazeera