Reporters from CNN, MSNBC, and Politico covered President Donald Trump’s appearance at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday using media credentials issued by the UN, despite being banned from the White House grounds. The ban, announced by Trump on Friday via social media, prohibits these outlets from White House access, citing their alleged dissemination of “fiction and lies” in their coverage of the president.
As Trump entered the UN building, he expressed surprise at CNN’s presence, stating, “I’m surprised that CNN is here covering me, you shouldn’t be here,” while addressing reporters. CNN has maintained it will continue covering Trump despite the ban.
In response to the ban, the three news organizations filed a lawsuit on Monday against Trump and his administration, arguing that the exclusion violates the First Amendment’s protections of free speech and a free press. They are seeking a temporary restraining order to halt the ban, with a hearing scheduled for Wednesday before US District Judge Timothy Kelly in Washington, D.C.
When questioned in New York about whether he would reinstate access if the court ruled against him, Trump criticized the judge, calling him “not a particularly fair judge,” and defended the ban on grounds of national security and combating “fake news.” Notably, Judge Kelly was appointed by Trump in 2017 and previously ruled against him in a 2018 case involving a CNN journalist whose White House press pass was revoked.
Trump’s confrontations with the media have been unprecedented compared to previous presidents. His administration has restricted access to major news organizations, launched personal attacks on journalists, and favored outlets more sympathetic to his policies. Additionally, Trump has initiated lawsuits against multiple media entities.
CNN is part of the primary White House television pool alongside ABC, CBS, Fox News, and NBC. These networks share the costs and responsibilities of covering the president and distribute footage nationwide. CNN was scheduled to provide pool coverage for Trump’s UN trip but was unable to do so due to the ban, prompting other major networks to suspend presidential pool coverage in protest.
To compensate, the White House launched a “Trump TV” stream on Monday, broadcasting videos highlighting the administration’s achievements. Critics have described this as a continuous stream of government propaganda.
During an interview on NBC’s “Today” show, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declined to comment on potential changes to the traveling press pool. When asked about banning media outlets based on unfavorable coverage, Rubio echoed Vice President JD Vance’s inaccurate claim that the outlets were not banned, clarifying that they are simply barred from working within White House premises.
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