Rep. Jamie Raskin accused President Donald Trump of tearing down part of the White House and then shutting out newsrooms he does not want inside the rest of it.
Raskin (D-MD) made the charge on BluSky after Trump moved to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House access.
“After illegally bulldozing half of the White House, Trump bans media that won’t lie for him from the other half,” Raskin posted. “Every self-respecting media entity in America should boycott what’s left of the White House if he keeps violating press freedom.”
Trump put the ban on Truth Social, saying CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be excluded “effective immediately” over their constant “reporting” of “FAKE NEWS!”
He left room to add more outlets later. CNN was labeled “fake news,” while Trump mocked MS NOW’s new name by linking the rebrand to what he called “lack of viewership and credibility.”
After illegally bulldozing half of the White House, Trump bans media that won’t lie for him from the other half.
Every self-respecting media entity in America should boycott what’s left of the White House if he keeps violating press freedom. https://t.co/VCYt0DRcMO
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) September 18, 2026
Trump’s criticism of Politico centered on Politico Pro subscriptions paid for by the government, with the president putting the cost at $8 million and calling it “illegal and ridiculous.”
“An All Time Record, directly from the United States Government, under Crooked [Joe Biden,] in order to keep them ‘alive,’ Seems like corruption to me!),” Trump wrote.
During an Oval Office health care event, Trump said the decision grew out of coverage over time rather than one specific article.
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“It’s really just cumulative stories over the last two years. You get sick of it,” he said.
Trump said any court fight would turn on the judge, while arguing that outlets producing false stories should not have guaranteed access.
“I don’t think that a court should allow fake news to be written day after day after day. I think that somebody has a right to keep them away if they’re going to write false stories all the time,” he said.
Trump also raised the possibility of adding The New York Times and The Washington Post to the list as he spoke with reporters.
“I mean, they’re disgusting,” he stated. “I don’t get it. Why would they be? You know, we’re doing so well, and they’ll take the most positive story and make it as negative as possible.”
CNN defended its White House reporters and said any government attempt to block their work would violate constitutional protections.
“CNN stands fully behind our White House team and their fair and accurate reporting,” the network said.
“We have a right under the U.S. Constitution to do that reporting without hindrance or interference from the government,” CNN added. “Should the ban which President Trump threatened go ahead, it would be an illegal assault on that fundamental and constitutionally protected right.”
The White House rapid response team replied by pointing to alleged CNN hoaxes, including the Hunter Biden’s Laptop is Russian Disinformation story, the NASCAR noose hoax and the Russia collusion matter.
Politico said Trump’s subsidy allegation was false and said its White House coverage would continue.
“POLITICO will continue to fairly report on this White House and future ones. We will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights against any attempt to restrict them,” a spokesperson said. “The claims that POLITICO received government subsidies are false and have been thoroughly debunked.”
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression argued that the White House cannot make press access depend on friendly coverage.
“When the White House opens its doors to the press, it must comply with the First Amendment,” FIRE said.
FIRE said Trump could attack news coverage as a private speaker, but not remove outlets from the White House over their reporting or commentary.
“Press credentials aren’t a reward for loyalty to the government. A free, even adversarial, press is a sign of our country’s strength. The public deserves to hear about its government from independent voices, not just its leader’s loyalists and allies,” FIRE added.
The National Press Club said the administration was attempting to decide which journalists could observe presidential power up close.
“Banning news organizations from the White House based on the administration’s disapproval of their coverage is a clear attempt to control which voices are allowed to witness and report on the exercise of presidential power,” the group said.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-AR), Trump’s former White House press secretary, defended him from inside the Oval Office by pointing to the reporters questioning him there.
“I think it’s hard for you to argue against a free press when you’re literally standing in the Oval Office asking questions of the president of the United States,” Sanders told reporters. “He has been more accessible and easier to talk to than any president in history.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth backed the ban and accused the affected outlets of putting service members at risk with false reporting.
“The Department of War fully supports President Trump’s decision to kick CNN, MSN̶B̶C̶NOW and Politico to the curb so they can publish their Fake News from outside the White House,” Hegseth said.
“They endangered our troops with false stories, leaks, and trafficked in fiction and lies about the President, our Warriors and their mission,” Hegseth added.
Fox News figures also criticized the ban. Fox News host John Roberts compared Trump’s move with former President Barack Obama’s administration trying to limit Fox News access in 2009 and predicted the order would be brief.
“Obama tried to exclude Fox from certain White House access back in 2009. Lasted about a half a heartbeat. I expect this one will too,” Roberts wrote.
Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley called the ban “an assault on long-honored principles of a free press,” and Fox News Chief Political Analyst Brit Hume backed that criticism.
“100%. And If he thinks this will lead to more favorable coverage, I think he’s dreaming,” Hume wrote.
