President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he was banning access to the White House for the media outlets CNN, MSNOW, and Politico, accusing them of spreading "fictions and lies." In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said the ban would take effect immediately and was a result of their "constant 'reporting' FAKE NEWS." He argued that media outlets should not be allowed to "constantly write or report FICTION and LIES" when covering the president, his administration, or the United States, and warned that more outlets could face similar restrictions. It was unclear as of Friday afternoon whether journalists from the banned outlets had been removed from White House grounds. CNN, MSNOW, and Politico did not immediately respond to requests for comment. This move is part of Trump’s broader strategy to challenge news organizations that report on him critically. In the past, he has taken legal action against outlets like the Associated Press, BBC, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal over their coverage. Some of these cases have been dismissed, while others remain unresolved. Trump’s dispute with CNN and other media outlets has been ongoing for years, dating back to his first presidential campaign and early presidency. However, he does not have the legal authority to ban entire news organizations from the White House based solely on the content they publish. A 1977 court ruling, Sherill v. Knight, established that journalists cannot be excluded from White House press facilities unless they pose a serious physical threat to the president or their family. Despite Trump’s announcement, reporters from CNN and Politico were still seen on White House grounds shortly after the ban was announced. The move is expected to face legal challenges from the affected media outlets and press freedom groups. Since returning to the presidency in January 2025, Trump has had frequent disagreements with the White House press corps. In February of that year, the White House announced it was taking back control of the press pool that covers the president, which had been managed by the White House Correspondents’ Association for over a century.