Reporters denied White House access as Trump enforces ban on 3 outlets - USA Today
WASHINGTON – Reporters from MS NOW, CNN and Politico were denied entry into the White House on Saturday, Sept. 19, as President Donald Trump enforced a White House ban on the three media outlets that has raised questions about the constitutionality of the action.
MS NOW reporter Akayla Gardner said her White House press pass did not work when she tried to scan it, and a security officer ordered her to hand it over as she attempted to go through magnetometers at the press entrance on Saturday morning.
"I asked why I could not get inside; he said it was above him," Gardner said in an interview on MS NOW, adding that one of MS NOW's photographers also had their press badge taken away.
CNN and Politico, in separate statements, confirmed that their reporters were also denied access to the White House grounds and had their passes confiscated.
The encounters marked the apparent implementation of a ban on reporters from CNN, Politico and MS NOW that Trump announced on Friday, Sept. 18. Trump, who has long complained about his press coverage, accused each media outlet of repeatedly reporting "fake news," but did not identify a specific incident or story that prompted the extraordinary move. He said he grew sick of "cumulative stories over the last few years."
Though the ban does not prevent journalists at the outlets from reporting on Trump, it denies them critical White House access that allows reporters to ask the president questions and interact with White House officials.
The ban, which was swiftly condemned by First Amendment advocates, also appears to infringe on a constitutionally protected free press. Even Trump, in comments to reporters Friday, referred to his action as a "ban on the free press."
In a 1977 case, Sherill v. Knight, a federal appeals court ruled that the White House cannot arbitrarily deny press passes to reporters based on the content of their coverage if the White House has voluntarily opened its doors to media and established facilities for the press.
MS NOW, in a statement after being denied access to the White House, said the cable news channel "intends to take any and all steps necessary to defend our First Amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalism in our democracy."
"The White House belongs to the American people and the decisions made inside are funded by our tax dollars," the statement said. "We stand firmly behind our anchors, our reporters, and our newsroom. We will continue to report on the President, the administration, and the issues that impact the American people."
CNN said its mission to report on the government will continue regardless of any attempts to restrict physical access to the White House.
"We have a right under the U.S. Constitution to do our reporting without hindrance or interference from the government and this ban is an illegal assault on this fundamental right," CNN said. "We will not be deflected from our duty to hold the government and other public bodies to account, and we will continue to report on the actions and processes of this administration without fear or favor."
Jonathan Greenberger, global editor-in-chief for Politico, said the publication stands by all of its reporters covering the White House. "As we said yesterday, we will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights," Greenberger said in an email to Politico's newsroom that was released to the public.
The White House declined to comment, referring USA TODAY to Trump’s remarks on his ban.
Trump has long had an adversarial relationship with the media, often taking aim at individual reporters and media outlets over coverage he deems to be unfair. During his second term, Trump has welcomed nontraditional conservative-leaning commentators into the White House press briefing room and Oval Office to ask him questions.
Shortly after his return to the White House, Trump had the Associated Press removed from the White House pool, which is given the closest access to the president, after the AP refused to change its guidance to reflect Trump's renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
During his first term, the Trump White House in 2018 pulled the press credentials of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta, but a federal judge later ruled on the side of CNN and forced the White House to allow Acosta to keep his press pass.
"We'll see," Trump said when asked what makes him think his ban will survive in court this time. "Depends on the judge you get, to be honest with you. I don't think a court should allow fake news to be written day after day after day."
