Trump Bars News Outlets From White House and Air Force One

President Donald Trump banned CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House complex after accusing them of reporting fake news. The move triggered a First Amendment lawsuit and an unprecedented boycott by the television press pool. In solidarity with the barred outlets, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, and NBC suspended pooled coverage of presidential events, including a red carpet welcome for Chinese President Xi Jinping.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly later issued a temporary restraining order, ruling the ban likely unconstitutional because the government failed to provide factual support for national security claims and denied the outlets due process. While the court order restored general access to the White House grounds by Thursday, the administration continued to restrict specific events. Journalists from CNN and MS NOW reported being denied entry to a state dinner for President Xi.

Conflict escalated on Saturday when the White House barred CNN from traveling on Air Force One for a trip to a college football game in Knoxville, Tennessee. The administration replaced CNN in the rotating television pool with conservative outlets Real America's Voice and Lindell TV. In response to this exclusion, the major broadcast networks again halted pool coverage. To bypass traditional media, President Trump launched a YouTube channel called Trump TV: The Essentials Station.