US President Donald Trump has announced that he is immediately banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, accusing the organisations of reporting falsehoods about his administration.

Writing on his Truth Social platform on Friday afternoon, Mr Trump claimed the outlets "constantly write or report fiction and lies" in their coverage of his presidency, though he cited no specific stories that prompted the decision. Speaking later to reporters in the Oval Office, Mr Trump described the measure as a "very simple ban" and warned that other organisations could soon follow, adding that there was "no reason" for the timing of the Friday announcement.

It remains unclear precisely how the administration intends to enforce the ban. Shortly after the post was published, reporters from both CNN and Politico were still working on White House grounds, and a CNN crew was travelling with Vice-President JD Vance to and from an event in Iowa.

The targeted organisations responded swiftly. CNN condemned the threat as an illegal assault on press freedoms, stating: "We have a right under the US Constitution to do that reporting without hindrance or interference from the government. Should the ban which President Trump threatened go ahead, it would be an illegal assault on that fundamental and constitutionally-protected right." Politico pledged to continue reporting fairly on the presidency and said it would "vigorously defend our First Amendment rights against any attempt to restrict them". MS NOW, formerly known as MSNBC, declined to comment.

The announcement drew concern across the media landscape. Fox News journalist Heinrich noted that the issue went beyond the press itself, saying: "It is about the right of the American people to receive a full and independent account of the activities, policies and decisions of whoever occupies the nation's highest office."

Press freedom and legal organisations were also quick to condemn the move. Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, pointed out that courts have previously ruled against Mr Trump on similar grounds, arguing that the president cannot lawfully exclude journalists from a public press pool based on viewpoint. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and the Freedom of the Press Foundation also predicted that any formal restriction would be struck down swiftly in court.

The dispute echoes battles from Mr Trump's first presidential term, when the administration revoked the press pass of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta before being forced to reinstate it following a court challenge. Since returning to office in January 2025, Mr Trump has frequently clashed with the White House press corps, admitting conservative bloggers into the briefing room and taking direct control of the press pool away from the White House Correspondents' Association — a decision currently subject to a lawsuit from the Associated Press.

Any formal exclusion would carry major logistical consequences for White House coverage, as CNN is one of only five US networks responsible for filming pool video footage distributed globally. With legal challenges widely anticipated, I will be following the story as it develops.