Trump Administration Bans CNN, Politico and MS NOW from White House and Air Force One

On September 19, Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that the White House had revoked press credentials for CNN, Politico and MS NOW, barring their journalists from the Oval Office and from traveling on Air Force One with President Donald Trump. The ban was justified by the administration as a response to what it described as “inaccurate” and “negative” reporting, which officials said could constitute a national-security problem.

The Guardian

Before President Trump’s second term, the composition of the presidential travel press pool was managed by the White House Correspondents’ Association and rotating broadcast networks. After Trump returned to office last year, the White House assumed direct control over which outlets could access the Oval Office and the president’s plane, leading to increased access for outlets perceived as supportive of the administration.

The Guardian

• Todd Blanche repeatedly framed White House access as a privilege, not a right, telling ABC’s *This Week* that “it is a privilege to be in the White House for anybody” and that “the president has every right to decide who gets to fly on his plane.”

Politico

• Vice President JD Vance echoed the administration’s view, stating that the outlets are being denied “special access” because they publish what he called “propaganda.”

Newsweek

• U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order restoring the three outlets’ credentials for at least two weeks.

Newsweek

• A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted shortly before the ban placed President Trump’s overall approval rating at 32 %, an all-time low.

The Guardian

• A 2025 Gallup survey found that only 28 % of Americans expressed a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in newspapers, television and radio to report news fully, accurately and fairly.

The Guardian

Judge Kelly, however, found no factual support for that claim in the record and highlighted the president’s own statements focusing on “lack of truthfulness and negativity.” No independent evidence has been presented to substantiate the national-security argument.

Newsweek

• “It is a privilege to be in the White House for anybody,” — Todd Blanche, donald trump’s attorney

Newsweek

• “The White House routinely decides who can go on Air Force One,” — Todd Blanche, donald trump’s attorney

The Guardian

• “Certainly, that is not what President Trump said when he announced that he was ‘banning’ plaintiffs from the White House – instead, he focused on the alleged lack of truthfulness and negativity of plaintiffs’ reporting,” — Timothy Kelly, US district judge

The Guardian

• “The president has every right to decide who gets to fly on his plane,” — Todd Blanche, donald trump’s attorney

Newsweek

The court has set a schedule for further arguments: the three outlets must file a motion by Monday (date unspecified), the White House must respond by October 2, and the outlets may reply by October 5. The temporary order restoring access expires on October 8, after which the judge intends to rule on a longer preliminary injunction.

Newsweek