White House Denies Access to CNN and MS NOW Reporters After Trump Ban

Journalists from CNN and MS NOW were denied entry to the White House on Saturday, after President Donald Trump announced he was banning the outlets. An MS NOW reporter and photographer attempted to enter the White House grounds, but their press badges would not scan and an officer confiscated them, the outlet reported. CNN also stated that one of its reporters was denied access and had her badge seized.

Trump announced Friday that he was barring MS NOW, CNN, and Politico from the White House, citing accusations that they published "fiction or lies" about his administration. Press freedom advocates have criticized the move as unconstitutional.

"The officer asked me to hand over my badge. He said that it was disabled," MS NOW reporter Akayla Gardner recounted. "I asked why I was not able to get inside. He said it was above him." Gardner noted that while her and her colleague's badges were deactivated, an MS NOW producer was able to use their badge to gain entry, though no explanation was provided for the discrepancy.

CNN reporter Betsy Klein reported that a Secret Service agent informed her that her badge had been deactivated.

A spokesperson for MS NOW issued a statement asserting that the White House "belongs to the American people and the decisions made inside are funded by our tax dollars." The outlet 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."

It remains unclear if Politico reporters were present at the White House on Saturday. Following Trump's ban, all three outlets have publicly opposed the decision, alleging a violation of their constitutional rights to free speech and freedom of the press.

CNN stated, "We have a right under the US Constitution to do our reporting without hindrance or interference from the government and this ban is an illegal assault on this fundamental right."

In his announcement, Trump did not specify particular stories or reporting from the three outlets that led to the ban. He later commented that the action was due to "cumulative stories over the last few years." When asked by a reporter about his comment that "there may be others to join them," Trump responded, "Others to come in terms of fake news? Well, you know, the New York Times is fake news, the Washington Post is fake news."

Several press freedom organizations have condemned Trump's White House ban as unlawful and unconstitutional. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, a group that offers legal assistance to the media, expressed its expectation that the ban would be swiftly overturned by the courts, calling it "flatly unconstitutional."

"The First Amendment is clear that once the White House invites in some journalists, it can't ban others because it doesn't like their reporting," stated Bruce Brown, president of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

This action represents the latest in a series of measures by the administration targeting media outlets that Trump deems critical of him. Previously, the administration pursued legal action against U.S. and international outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the BBC. Some of these lawsuits have concluded with media organizations agreeing to multi-million dollar settlements, while Trump's lawsuit against the BBC is ongoing.