The White House gate just became the hottest velvet rope in D.C.
President Donald Trump said Friday he’s banning CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House “effective immediately,” blasting what he called their constant “fake news” reporting on Truth Social — and threatening that more outlets could be next.
By Saturday morning, it wasn’t just a post. CBS News observed an MS NOW correspondent and cameraman turned away around 8 a.m. Correspondent Akayla Gardner said her hard pass was disabled when she tried to swipe in; security told her the matter was above them. Both staffers had their hard passes revoked, per CBS News. (An MS NOW producer’s badge reportedly still worked, because chaos loves a plot twist.)
CNN and Politico were named in the same ban. Both outlets pushed back Friday with First Amendment language — CNN calling any ban an “illegal assault” on constitutionally protected reporting — while the White House Correspondents’ Association (president Jacqui Heinrich of Fox News) said it “stands in defense” of colleagues at CNN, MS NOW, and Politico being “singled out for doing their jobs”.
Some White House staffers were reportedly caught off guard Friday, and journalists for the three outlets were still on the grounds through Friday evening before Saturday’s swipe-fails kicked in.
Buttercups: when the President turns the briefing room into a guest list, the story writes itself — and the networks just became the story.
