A new large-scale war between the US executive branch and leading media corporations has erupted in full force. The US president Donald Trump officially announced that he is imposing an immediate banning access to the White House of three of the most influential information organizations in the country – television channels CNN and MS NOW (MSNBC's new name), as well as the online edition Politico.
The head of state announced his radical decision through his personal profile on the social network Truth Social. According to him, the extreme measure was taken in response to the “incessant coverage of fake news“ by these editorial offices.
„I am effectively banning the fake news outlets CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House due to their continued spread of fabrications and lies“, Trump wrote in his official statement.
He added that a similar fate could soon befall other media companies that he said were manipulating public opinion and attacking his administration.
The motives of Washington and the reaction of the affected media
The conflict quickly escalated into a debate about the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech. The White House argued its decision with the thesis that journalists should not have the right to “create fiction“ while covering official state institutions.
Despite the president's harsh position, reporters from the affected media still remain in the area of the presidential residence, as it is not clear how exactly the administrative ban will be implemented in practice. From the legal department of CNN defined the move as an illegal infringement, and from Politico announced its readiness to vigorously defend its constitutional rights in court.
Official comments and details on the case were published by world agencies, and the chronology of events can be followed in the detailed reports of Reuters (https://www.reuters.com) and The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com), which cites the first positions of the media unions.
History of clashes between Trump and the press
This is not the first time the Trump administration has restricted access to journalists critical of him. During his first term, he revoked the press credentials of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta, which were later restored after a court ruling. In 2025, the White House also entered into a legal dispute with the agency Associated Press (AP), temporarily limiting their access to the press pool around the president.
Analysts note that the current decision comes in the context of increasing pressure on the major television networks in the United States. The information flow on the case continues to be updated in real time, with current data and video reports being broadcast regularly by the British corporation BBC (https://www.bbc.com) and the French Agency AFP (https://www.afp.com).