US President Donald Trump has announced that he is banning cable news networks CNN and MS NOW and website Politico from the White House, accusing the major outlets of reporting "fake news" about his administration.
"I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW (who recently changed their name from MSNBC due to lack of viewership and credibility!), and Politico ... from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!" Trump said in a statement on his social media platform TruthSocial.
Trump alleged Politico had received "an illegal and ridiculous $8 Million Dollar subscription” from the US Government, under previous President Joe Biden, in order to keep them "alive."
"Seems like corruption to me!" he said.
"Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America. Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow," he added.
CNN, MS NOW, and Politico did not immediately respond to Trump's statement.
It is extremely rare for US presidents to bar news outlets from the White House altogether, although Trump banned a CNN reporter in his first term and Richard Nixon put restrictions on the Washington Post for its reporting on the Watergate scandal.
Trump’s second administration has changed press-access arrangements, including taking responsibility for selecting journalists in the “pool” that covers events in limited spaces such as the Oval Office and Air Force One.
Last year, the White House restricted The Associated Press’s access to some events over its continued use of “Gulf of Mexico” following Trump’s order to rename it the “Gulf of America”.
