Trump announces White House ban on CNN, MS NOW, Politico

US President Donald Trump has said CNN, MS NOW and Politico will be banned from the White House, accusing the three news organisations of repeatedly publishing what he called "fake news".

Trump announced the move in a post on social media on September 18, saying the outlets "shouldn't be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they're covering the President of the United States." He added: "Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow."

The White House was informing the three organisations that they would be banned from its grounds from September 19, according to Fox News, which cited an unnamed senior White House official.

Representatives of all three outlets were still working at the White House on September 18 afternoon following Trump's announcement.

Asked what had prompted the decision, Trump said there had been no specific incident.

"It's really just cumulative stories over the past few years," he said.

Trump added: "I don't have to let them into my, into the people's house."

When asked which other outlets could face restrictions, Trump mentioned the New York Times and Washington Post, describing them as "fake news".

The precise scope of the ban was not immediately clear. Its legality could depend on whether it applies to access to specific presidential events, press pools or wider White House facilities.

US courts have given presidents broad discretion over selective access to events such as Oval Office meetings and small press pools. Wider restrictions on access to generally available White House press facilities or credentials could face stronger constitutional challenges.

CNN said it stood behind its journalists covering the White House.

"We have a right under the US Constitution to do that reporting without hindrance or interference from the government," CNN said in a statement. "Should the ban ​which President Trump threatened go ahead, it would be an illegal assault on that fundamental and constitutionally protected right."

Politico said on X that it would continue reporting on the administration.

"We will vigorously defend our First Amendment ‌rights against any ⁠attempt to restrict them," Politico said.

MS NOW declined to comment.

Seth Stern, chief of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, said: "It's difficult to imagine a more blatant violation of the First Amendment than Trump banning news outlets from the People's House for criticizing the government."

Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, said the First Amendment prohibits the president from punishing journalists because he dislikes their coverage.

"If President Trump means to expel these news organizations from the White House press pool, his action is doubly unconstitutional because the press pool is a 'public forum' under the First Amendment, which means the president can't ​exclude journalists from it on the basis of their ​viewpoints," Jaffer said.

The move comes as the Trump administration has changed the traditional relationship between the White House and the press, reducing access for some major news organisations while increasing the presence of newer outlets seen as more sympathetic to the administration.

Trump has repeatedly criticised news organisations during his political career and has taken legal action against several media outlets.

By Aghakazim Guliyev