Trump bans CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House as court hearing approaches

Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico attended President Donald Trump’s appearance at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday using media passes issued by the UN, as the three outlets await a federal court hearing on the administration’s ban.

Trump told reporters as he entered the UN building, "I'm surprised that CNN is here covering me, you shouldn't be here. You said you weren't going to cover me," reiterating his criticism of the outlets.

The president announced the ban on Friday via social media, accusing the outlets of publishing "fiction and lies" about the presidency. The three organizations filed a lawsuit on Monday, arguing that the ban violates First Amendment protections and seeking a temporary restraining order. A hearing is set for Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, who was appointed by Trump in 2017 and previously ruled against the president in a 2018 press-pass case.

When asked if the outlets would be allowed back should the court rule against the ban, Trump described the judge as "not a particularly fair judge" and cited national-security concerns, saying the administration has a right to "clean out fake news."

The ban follows a broader pattern of the Trump administration limiting press access. CNN, part of the traditional White House television pool, was unable to provide a pool feed for the UN trip, leading the other major networks to suspend presidential pool coverage. In response, the White House launched a "Trump TV" stream featuring highlights of its activities, which a press-freedom advocate described as a "steady diet of government propaganda."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking on NBC’s "Today" show, declined to comment on potential changes to the press pool and echoed Vice President JD Vance’s claim that the outlets were not banned, stating they were simply "not allowed to work from the workspace at the White House."