Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were denied entry to the White House on Saturday and had their press credentials disabled or confiscated, a day after President Donald Trump announced he was banning the three news organisations from the presidential complex.
CNN senior White House reporter Betsy Klein, MS NOW correspondent Akayla Gardner and Politico reporter Cheyenne Haslett were among those turned away when they attempted to enter the grounds. Security personnel took their White House access passes after informing them that their credentials were no longer valid.
Gardner said she discovered the restriction when her badge failed at a security checkpoint. When she asked an officer why she could no longer enter, she said she was told the decision had been made at a higher level.
CNN said its reporters were similarly blocked, while Politico said Haslett was denied entry by the Secret Service and her access pass was confiscated.
The move puts into effect an order Trump announced on Friday, when he accused CNN, MS NOW — formerly MSNBC — and Politico of repeatedly publishing what he described as false reporting about his administration.
Trump said the ban was effective immediately and suggested additional news organisations could face similar action. He later said the decision was based on the outlets’ coverage over a long period rather than on a single report.
Reuters reported that Trump has also raised the possibility of taking action against other major outlets, including The New York Times and The Washington Post. Both newspapers criticised the decision.
The three affected organisations have rejected the White House’s action and signalled that legal challenges could follow.
CNN called the ban an unlawful interference with its journalists’ First Amendment rights, while MS NOW said it would take whatever steps were necessary to defend its ability to report independently. Politico said it would vigorously defend the constitutional rights of its reporters.
No lawsuit by the three outlets had been announced in the latest reporting reviewed Saturday, but the dispute appears likely to move into the courts.
The White House Correspondents’ Association and several press-freedom organisations have also criticised the restrictions. The National Press Club said barring credentialed organisations because the administration objects to their coverage would allow the government to determine which journalists can directly report on the presidency.
The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University argued that excluding journalists on the basis of their reporting raises First Amendment concerns and said restrictions based on an outlet’s viewpoint could face constitutional challenges.
The confrontation comes against a history of disputes over White House press access. During Trump’s first term, federal courts intervened after his administration sought to revoke the credentials of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta and later restricted access for journalist Brian Karem.
His administration also restricted Associated Press access to some presidential events in 2025 after the organisation continued using the name “Gulf of Mexico” rather than Trump’s preferred “Gulf of America,” triggering a separate legal fight over press access.
