US President Donald Trump has barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, accusing the major news organisations of spreading what he described as propaganda and false reports about his administration.
Trump made the remarks on Friday through his social media platform, Truth Social, where he accused the outlets of reporting “fake news” and said media organisations should not be allowed to “constantly write or report fiction or lies” about the President.
The US President also suggested that other media organisations could face similar restrictions, warning that outlets he considers to be spreading false information may also be excluded from the White House.
Trump specifically criticised Politico, alleging that the publication received an “illegal and ridiculous $8 million subscription” from the US government during former President Joe Biden’s administration, which he claimed was intended to keep the organisation operating.
Defending the decision during a press interaction in the Oval Office, Trump dismissed concerns about whether restricting media access was consistent with a president’s constitutional obligations.
“You get so tired of reading and seeing fake news…there may be others to join them,” Trump said, adding that the United States needs “honest news.”
When asked whether his actions amounted to an attempt to intimidate the press from carrying out its duties, Trump rejected the suggestion and instead criticised journalists he considers dishonest.
“No, no, no. I dislike dishonest press like you. I think you are terrible,” he said.
Trump further argued that courts should not permit media organisations to publish what he considers false reports on a regular basis, saying that authorities should have the ability to restrict outlets that repeatedly publish what he described as false stories.
The President also criticised Fox over its latest approval-rating poll, describing the network’s polling as the “worst polls in the whole business” and suggesting that the organisation should have replaced its pollsters years ago.
Trump also described The Washington Post as “disgusting” while maintaining that his administration is not repressive.
“We don’t repress, but they (certain media) write fake news,” he said.
