‘Free Speech Absolutist!’ Media World Erupts as Trump Bans CNN, MS NOW, Politico from White House 2026

Bulgaria News

(Screenshot)

President Donald Trump’s abrupt announcement that he is banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House “effective immediately” sent shockwaves through the media world Friday, prompting a firestorm of reaction from journalists and pundits.

Trump took to Truth Social to declare that the three major media organizations were being banned, accusing them of repeatedly publishing “FAKE NEWS” about him and his administration and warning similar action against other organizations “to follow”:

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 (The recipients of an illegal and ridiculous $8 Million Dollar subscription, 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!), from the White House as a result of their constant “reporting” FAKE NEWS! 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP

The announcement quickly produced a furious stream of reaction from reporters, media figures and political commentators, appealing to the Constitution and calling for solidarity.

Even conservative-leaning commentators questioned the move. Fox News legal analyst Jonathan Turley called it “an assault on long-honored principles of a free press” that could set “a terrible precedent,” while noting he has criticized the outlets’ bias himself.

…Such a move would raise serious constitutional questions and undermine the country's long-standing position as a voice for the free press. It is hard for the United States to advocate for press rights globally when it is banning disfavored outlets…

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) September 18, 2026

Fox News chief political analyst Brit Hume agreed with Turley, adding Trump was “dreaming” if he thought a ban would change coverage:

100%. And If he thinks this will lead to more favorable coverage, I think he’s dreaming. https://t.co/fMuDUCFBYl

— Brit Hume (@brithume) September 18, 2026

Hume’s colleague Guy Benson called the move a “bad idea”:

The WH media ban, even if you hate the targeted outlets, is a bad idea & bad precedent. It’s the sort of thing he does when he doesn’t feel like things are going well politically. Beyond his hardcore loyalist base, it achieves nothing and is exhausting.

— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) September 18, 2026

The Bulwark editor Bill Kristol argued other news organizations should walk out of the White House in protest rather than treat the ban as normal.

Other news organizations should leave the White House. They can of course still cover the administration–almost none of their coverage depends on being there physically. But they shouldn't stay there, raising their hands in the briefing room, as if it's business as usual. https://t.co/MgIuzOhF6e

— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) September 18, 2026

Meanwhile, CBS News White House correspondent and former president of the White House Correspondents’ Association Weijia Jiang responded by posting the First Amendment in full, including its prohibition on laws “abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.”

The First Amendment:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress… https://t.co/ZAdf6utVav

— Weijia Jiang (@weijia) September 18, 2026

The Hill’s White House columnist Niall Stanage likewise pointed to the First Amendment, warning: “Under almost all readings of the First Amendment, the government cannot discriminate on the basis of ‘disfavored speech,’ i.e. reporting or opinions it simply dislikes.”

Trump seeks to ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the WH because he doesn't like their reporting.

Under almost all readings of the First Amendment, the government cannot discriminate on the basis of "disfavored speech," i.e. reporting or opinions it simply dislikes. pic.twitter.com/cCdDda37w8

— Niall Stanage (@NiallStanage) September 18, 2026

Former Obama aide and Pod Save America co-host Tommy Vietor offered a more mocking take:

Free speech absolutist! https://t.co/Ba33igGA7f

— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) September 18, 2026

MeidasTouch editor-in-chief Ron Filipkowski called for “the entire WH press corps” to “walk out”:

I know this won’t happen, but the entire WH press corps should walk out. Trump craves attention and is obsessed with his coverage. Not covering his Oval Office Lie Sessions would hurt him more than just about anything. pic.twitter.com/0IZyt7MEXp

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) September 18, 2026

Meanwhile, The New Republic’s Greg Sargent reached for darker imagery, writing: “Only MAGA propagandists will be allowed to remain in the Fuhrerbunker (and Natalie Harp, of course).”

Only MAGA propagandists will be allowed to remain in the Fuhrerbunker (and Natalie Harp, of course) https://t.co/MkeHnlEKHO

— . (@GregTSargent) September 18, 2026

The Washington Post’s media reporter Scott Nover, who dryly wrote: “Seems like a calm and normal Fri—”

Seems like a calm and normal Fri—

— Scott Nover (@ScottNover) September 18, 2026

Others joined the whirlwind, railing at the Trump administration’s claim to be the most “transparent in history” and even lambasting the move as a distraction from other crises:

Media execs must band together NOW to figure out what the hell they are going to do to save our democracy. This isn't some temporary action by Trump to get rid of @CNN @MSNOWNews @politico. Remember: @AP is still banned from the WH. He will end it for all who don't agree w/ him.

— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) September 18, 2026

President Trump just said this ban was not triggered by one particular story, it's just "cumulative" because CNN doesn't cover the news to his liking. Wants more coverage of the positive, he said. We don't cover the lower drug prices, he says.

(FYI: https://t.co/0JfWk9jyJB ) https://t.co/NKQtImm9BH

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) September 18, 2026

Trump, who has touted his administration as the 'most transparent in history,' says CNN, MS NOW, and Politico are now banned from the White House. pic.twitter.com/aHfX09lkNG

— Jon Michael Raasch (@JMRaasch) September 18, 2026

So the president has just banned CNN, MSNOW and Politico from the White House.

Besides the fact that this will almost certainly be overturned in court, it is pretty telling how things are going for this administration if Trump is trying to rally MAGA support with this latest… pic.twitter.com/0IDOKSV02v

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) September 18, 2026

That’ll do it. That will bring down the cost of gas. https://t.co/dFNdPULx7d

— Alyssa Farah Griffin (@Alyssafarah) September 18, 2026

Big day for Zuckerberg, who rightly called that Trump would be a stalwart defender of the first amendment. Big moment for the WHCA, which had Trump on the stage during its awards ceremony not to far back. pic.twitter.com/31FOu7XqHG

— Sam Stein (@samstein) September 18, 2026

i suppose it's worth reminding folks that when the Obama WH blacklisted Fox News from some Treasury briefing, the other anchors said they would not attend. Will Fox News return the favor here? https://t.co/YvtIC79EQC

— Sam Stein (@samstein) September 18, 2026

Good time to have a Fox News correspondent running the WHCA. https://t.co/Yj8W9XoIL5

— Brian Lowry (@blowryontv) September 18, 2026

FALL OF DEMOCRACY UPDATE: The authoritarian fascist in the Oval Office now says he’s banning CNN & MS NOW & Politico because they don’t glaze him enough (like the right-wing outlets)

We are very far off the cliff, folks pic.twitter.com/qzauxyLp6b

— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) September 18, 2026

Trump the “free speech warrior” just banned CNN, MSNOW, and Politico from the White House because he doesn’t like them. Any conservatives gonna speak up against this or continue to be spineless shills?

— Harry Sisson (@harryjsisson) September 18, 2026

Unsurprisingly, the White House Correspondents’ Association decision to toast the First Amendment with Trump aged particularly poorly pic.twitter.com/srUaMcYKCj

— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) September 18, 2026

The post ‘Free Speech Absolutist!’ Media World Erupts as Trump Bans CNN, MS NOW, Politico from White House first appeared on Mediaite.

‘Free Speech Absolutist!’ Media World Erupts as Trump Bans CNN, MS NOW, Politico from White House 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-09-18 21:12:41 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law

БЪЛГАРИЯ НОВИНИТЕ – ИНФОРМАЦИОННА АГЕНЦИЯ 2009-2026 2026-09-18 21:12:41

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply