MS NOW Journalists Denied White House Access After Trump Press Ban

Journalists from MS NOW were denied access to the White House grounds on Saturday, one day after President Trump announced a ban on the network, CNN, and Politico, labeling them "fake news."

In a statement, MS NOW reported that the ban had taken effect and its journalists were not allowed on the premises. The network asserted that "The White House belongs to the American people and the decisions made inside are funded by our tax dollars." MS NOW stated its intention to "take any and all steps necessary to defend our First Amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalism in our democracy."

President Trump initially declared the ban on the three outlets via Truth Social on Friday, citing a "cumulation of stories over the past few years" that he had "gotten sick of." When questioned by reporters in the Oval Office, he reiterated that the outlets needed to "get better" and that "Somebody has got to keep them away."

He warned in his Truth Social post that other "Fake News Media Outlets" could face similar consequences, also criticizing The New York Times and The Washington Post. "We're probably not going to display the paper anymore in the White House. We haven't taken the step of throwing them out," Trump said.

This action marks an escalation in Trump's contentious relationship with the press, which has previously included barring AP reporters from White House coverage in February 2025 after the outlet declined to use his proposed name change for the Gulf of Mexico. The news organization filed a lawsuit over that incident, which remains pending.

The President has frequently targeted various media organizations, including The Wall Street Journal, the BBC, and The New York Times. He has also had public confrontations with CNN's Kaitlan Collins, at times calling her questions "dumb" and suggesting she "smile more."