Trump Says He Is Banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico From the White House

President Donald Trump said Friday that he banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, “effective immediately.”

He did not give any specific rationale for the move, instead posting that “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!”

The move, assuming it comes to fruition, would mark an escalation in the White House’s effort to rein in the press in Trump’s second term. The White House barred the Associated Press from the press pool and from certain events after it determined that it would continue calling the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of Mexico, rather than the Gulf of America. The Pentagon has also effectively banished most news organizations from its facilities and otherwise restricted access.

Still, barring major news outlets from the White House altogether would be a major step in cracking down on press freedom to cover the country’s leadership, even if the reporters will certainly continue to follow the administration’s every move, and break news in the process.

CNN’s chief White House correspondent is Kaitlan Collins, who also hosts a primetime show for the channel, with MS NOW, with Vaughn Hillyard leading the team for MS NOW. The White House Correspondents Association, which is sure to fight the move, is led by Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich.