“MS NOW 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 network said. (Credit: Facebook)
Trump Follows Up on Threats to CNN, MS NOW, Politico
“Journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were denied access to the White House grounds on Saturday, a day after President Trump announced a ban on three news organizations because of reporting he disliked,” Michael M. Grynbaum reported for the New York Times.
“ ‘The officer asked me to hand over my badge; he said that it was disabled,’ Ms. Gardner said in an on-air interview. ‘I asked why I could not get inside; he said it was above him.’
“A photographer for MS NOW was also asked to relinquish their badge, but a producer for the network was allowed into the White House, Ms. Gardner said.”
While the denial of access was not personally directed at Gardner, Trump called her “a dumb person” in May for accurately pointing out that the cost of his ballroom had doubled since it was first announced.
Gardner covered the Trump and Biden administrations for Bloomberg News before joining the cable network in August 2025.
At Bloombrge, Gardner was the first author of a weekly newsletter, “Washington Edition: Inside the White House,” was among the reporters accompanying then-vice president Kamala Harris on her 2024 trip to Africa, and during the 2022 midterms, covered the record number of Black and Latino Republicans running for Congress, among other assginments. The daughter of Jamaican immigratnts, Gardner revived the campus chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists while at Ohio State University, according to her bio.
Grynboum continued, “Betsy Klein, a veteran CNN correspondent, described a similar experience that occurred about an hour later. She said that a White House security officer, whom she has known for years, informed her that her badge had been deactivated.
“ ‘I asked if he had any more details he could share with me,’ Ms. Klein said in an on-air interview. ‘He said I should be referred to the White House press office for more information.’
“Cheyenne Haslett, a reporter at Politico, was also denied access to the White House on Saturday morning, according to a note to staff from Jonathan Greenberger, Politico’s editor in chief, that was described in the publication’s Playbook newsletter.
“Mr. Trump abruptly announced on Friday afternoon that he would ban MS NOW, CNN and Politico from the White House, a stark escalation in his ever-expanding battles with the news media.
“The president attributed the ban to his displeasure with the outlets’ coverage of his administration. ‘There’s something wrong with a country that can allow people to write purposely negative stories,’ Mr. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday afternoon.”
The Associated Press reported, “All three news outlets hinted at legal action. ‘We will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights,’ Politico Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Greenberger said in a statement to the Politico newsroom. A CNN statement said the network ‘will not be deflected from our duty to hold the government and other public bodies to account.’
“And MS NOW said it ‘intends to take any and all steps necessary to defend our First Amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalism in our democracy.’ “‘
Natalie Korach reported Sunday night for Status, ” Behind the scenes, a legal response to the unconstitutional ban is taking shape, I’m told. CNN has retained prominent First Amendment attorney Ted Boutrous to handle its response, with legal action expected as early as Monday. ‘I’m pretty confident legal action will be filed soon,’ attorney Mark Zaid, who specializes in First Amendment and national security cases, told Status, adding that he would be surprised if it didn’t happen early this week.”
Former president Barack Obama said Sunday on Instagram, “I’m trying to think what would have happened if I had said, you know what, Fox News, you’re out of here! It’s unimaginable.”
Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, wrote on X Friday, “The First Amendment is sacred. The truth is sacred. Donald Trump’s move to ban professional journalists who deliver the facts every day from the White House can only be described as authoritarian. We stand with journalists and all who defend press freedom.”
PEN America said on Friday, “Someone needs to explain to President Trump how the First Amendment works,” said Tim Richardson, journalism and disinformation director at PEN America. ‘As we’ve seen time and time again, this administration’s hostility toward the press is never about the accuracy of news stories, but about its inability to withstand scrutiny of its actions. The White House can’t be allowed to decide which journalists are able to cover the president based on the content of their news coverage.'” [Updated Sept. 20]
- Associated Press statement (via X)
- Committee to Protect Journalists: President Trump’s arbitrary CNN, MS NOW, Politico ban violates First Amendment rights
- Freedom of the Press Foundation: FPF comments on Trump’s media ban announcement
- David Gilmour, Mediaite: ‘Free Speech Absolutist!’ Media World Erupts as Trump Bans CNN, MS NOW, Politico from White House
- Zolan Kanno-Youngs, New York Times: Trump Faced Loss After Loss. He Then Turned to a Familiar Target: The Press.
- National Association of Black Journalists: Statement from the President of the National Association of Black Journalists on White House Press Ban (via X)
- National Press Club: Statement on President Trump’s declaration to ban CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House
- Radio Television Digital News Association: RTDNA responds to President Trump’s announcement banning news organizations from the White House
- Society of Professional Journalists: SPJ condemns White House ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico
