CELEBRITY
Trump’s White House Press Ban Sparks Free-Press Fight
President Donald Trump announced Friday that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be banned from the White House, accusing the outlets of repeatedly publishing what he called “fake news” and false reports about his administration.
The announcement immediately triggered a confrontation over press freedom. The affected news organizations defended their constitutional right to cover the president, while press-freedom groups warned that restricting journalists because of unfavorable coverage could raise serious First Amendment issues.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer strongly condemned the move, writing that Trump had “done what dictators throughout history have done” and accusing the president of trying to manipulate the news and prevent the public from hearing the truth.
Trump, meanwhile, defended the decision, saying the outlets were being excluded because of what he described as dishonest reporting. The dispute adds another chapter to Trump’s long-running conflict with major news organizations and raises questions about how much control a president can exercise over White House press access.
The situation could now move into the courts, where previous disputes over White House press credentials have resulted in legal challenges.