AP: What is the White House pool? These days, it’s a battleground between Trump and free press rights
- On Friday, September 18, 2026, President Donald Trump revoked White House press credentials for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, barring the three outlets from the grounds. Secret Service agents turned away reporters Saturday morning.
- Trump announced the decision on Truth Social, claiming the outlets published "FICTION and LIES" and calling the ban necessary to combat "FAKE NEWS." He threatened additional media bans could follow.
- On Monday, September 21, 2026, the three outlets filed a federal lawsuit alleging First Amendment and Fifth Amendment violations. Major television networks suspended pool coverage in solidarity, leaving presidential events without replacement footage.
- White House Correspondents' Association President Jacqui Heinrich condemned the action as a "ban on the free press," while the administration launched Trump TV: The Essentials Station on September 21 to broadcast official content.
- Legal experts cite the 1977 Sherrill v. Knight ruling prohibiting viewpoint discrimination as a significant obstacle to the ban's legality. A federal court hearing is scheduled for September 23 to address the dispute.
364 Articles
364 Articles
The US president caused a storm after he surprised even his own advisers by banning CNN, MSNOW and Politico from the White House because he did not like the way they reported on him. In the previous days, Trump had been hit with bad news one after another. However, a part of the press came together and indicated that they were not helpless against violations of press freedom.
The group of journalists who follow the president on behalf of all the other newspapers, including the TVs that are boycotting him
Trump’s Latest Media Attacks Again Hit Women Journalists
Click to expand Image MS NOW White House Correspondent Akayla Gardner prepares for a television report on a street corner outside the White House grounds in Washington, DC, on September 21, 2026. © 2026 Andrew Thomas/NurPhoto via AP Photo Donald Trump’s tumultuous relationship with US journalists and legacy media reached a new crisis over the past week, as the US President banned three prominent outlets from accessing the White House or being p…
Our Opinion: News outlet solidarity models necessary pushback against White House press pool crackdown
Donald Trump’s fans and detractors alike might view him as a “strongman.” Yet while the president seems preternaturally absorbed with projecting strength, he should realize how glaring a sign of weakness it is to ban reporters from the White House…
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