Did Barack Obama try to ban Fox News from the White House? Fact checking claim amid Trump's media ban

Following President Donald Trump's announcement Friday that he will ban three major US media outlets - Politico, MS Now and CNN- from the White House. As the decision faced criticism, aa section of Trump supporters claimed that even President Barack Obama had tried to ban Fox News in his second term.

Former US President Barack Obama attend the 25th anniversary commemoration of the September 11. (AFP)However, the claim is only partially true. It concerns an incident around October 2009, when the Obama White House and Fox were engaged in a bitter feud, and the White House accused Fox of operating as the Republican Party's political arm.

The feud reached its peak on October 22, 2009 when the Treasury Department tried to leave out a Fox journalist from the multi-network press pool slated to interview with the then Special Master for TARP Executive Compensation. But the ban was for a few hours, and the Obama administration allowed Fox back into the pool following protests from other news outlets, including CNN.

Thus, the claim that the Obama administration tried to ban Fox News from the White House is false. Fox was excluded from the October 22, 2009. The permission was later reinstated, and Fox was able to cover the interview.

This, Obama did not try to ban Fox News. The White House under him tried to exclude the outlet from one interview but ultimately did not.

Trump on Friday announced via a Truth Social post that he will be banning the journalists from the three outlets from the White House. Accordingly, multiple journalists, including CNN's Kaitlan Collins, reported that their White House access cards have been deactivated starting Saturday.

Trump did not provide any specific reason behind implementing the sweeping ban on three of the US's largest news publishers. He dubbed them "fake news" and announced the subsequent. No specific coverage by the respective outlets was mentioned by the 80-year-old President.

Trump later explained the decision during a press interaction at the Oval Office later on Friday. He said it was the “cumulative stories over the last few years” by the three outlets that prompted him to ban them.

“CNN stands fully behind our White House team and their fair and accurate reporting,” CNN said. Politico, meanwhile, said they will "continue to fairly report on this White House and future ones. We will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights against any attempt to restrict them.”

Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More