Trump Bars CNN and Politico from Air Force One
President Donald Trump has excluded journalists from CNN, Politico, and MS NOW from Air Force One and press pool rotations despite a court order restoring grounds access.
Donald Trump has barred journalists from CNN, Politico, and MS NOW from traveling on Air Force One and participating in press pool rotations. This restriction persists despite a federal court order from Judge Timothy J. Kelly that restored the general access of these outlets to White House grounds.
While the court blocked the administration from denying hard passes to the White House complex, the ruling did not explicitly cover pool assignments. The White House assumed control of these rotations in February 2025 and subsequently excluded CNN and Politico from presidential trips to Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. The administration also removed the Associated Press from the press pool after the organization refused to use the term "Gulf of America."
Major television networks responded by briefly suspending pool coverage and now coordinate substitute crews when CNN is excluded. The White House defends these actions by stating the president has the right to enforce standards for journalists and safeguard national security.
