Two reporters for MS Now were denied access to the White House grounds on Saturday following President Donald Trump's announcement the previous day that he was banning MS Now, CNN, and Politico from covering events at the White House. The denial of entry came after one reporter’s badge was disabled upon arrival, while other members of her team with different roles were allowed in. MS Now threatened to take legal action against Trump, arguing his restrictions violate their First Amendment rights.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-19,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 25, US TV networks resumed coverage of President Donald Trump’s events at the White House after a judge ordered the administration to lift its ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico. The ban was imposed last week due to what Trump described as unfavorable press coverage. Despite the reinstatement, tensions remain high; the networks ceased filming White House events in solidarity with banned outlets earlier in the week, resulting in no pool footage during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit on September 24-25. The court battle continues, and CNN was barred from traveling with Trump to Tennessee for a weekend trip, though reasons were not officially provided by the administration.
Written for “White House Press Access Controversy” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 182 other(s) covering the same event.
MS Now said that two of its journalists were denied access to the White House grounds on Saturday, a day after President Donald Trump announced he was barring the network, CNN, and Politico from the White House.
asserted
he → say → House
A reporter and photographer for MS Now were turned away Saturday morning as they arrived to work, the network said.
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network → turn → Now
The move marked the first reported enforcement of Trump’s announcement, which he made on Friday on Truth Social.
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he → mark → Social
MS Now White House reporter Akayla Gardner said her badge was denied Saturday morning when she attempted to scan into the White House grounds.
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she → say → grounds
She said an officer then took her badge, saying it was disabled.
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it → say → badge
Gardner added that while she and an MS Now photographer were turned away, the MS Now producer’s badge worked, allowing her to enter the White House grounds.
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her → add → grounds
MS Now threatened to take action against Trump, saying his restrictions violated the First Amendment.
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restrictions → threaten → Amendment
“The White House belongs to the American people and the decisions made inside are funded by our tax dollars,” MS Now said in a press statement.
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Now → belong → statement
“MS NOW intends to take any and all steps necessary to defend our First Amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalism in our democracy.”
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NOW → intend → democracy
“We stand firmly behind our anchors, our reporters, and our newsroom,” it added.
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it → stand → anchors
“We will continue to report on the President, the administration, and the issues that impact the American people.”
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that → continue → people
Trump said Friday that he was banning MS Now, CNN, and Politico from the White House, accusing the outlets of repeatedly 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,” Trump wrote.
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Trump → say → America
He added that other “Fake News Media Outlets” could face similar action.
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Outlets → add → action
The president later acknowledged that the ban could face legal challenges, telling the Washington Examiner that “we’ll see” whether it survives in court.
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it → acknowledge → court
He argued that the White House should be able to restrict outlets that he believes publish false stories.
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he → argue → stories
CNN said it “stands fully behind our White House team and their fair and accurate reporting,” adding that if the ban goes forward, it would be an “illegal assault” on the press’s constitutionally protected rights.
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it → say → rights
Politico also said it would continue covering the administration and “vigorously defend our First Amendment rights against any attempt to restrict them.”
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it → say → them
The outlet separately disputed Trump’s claims that it received government subsidies, calling those claims false and saying they had been “thoroughly debunked.”
uncertain
they → dispute → claims
The White House Correspondents’ Association also defended the three outlets, saying the Constitution protects freedom of the press from government interference and that those protections do not depend on whether a president agrees with a news organization’s coverage.
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president → defend → coverage
“This is about more than the rights of journalists,” the White House Correspondents’ Association said.
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Association → say → journalists
“It is about the right of the American people to receive a full and independent account of the activities, policies and decisions of whoever occupies the nation’s highest office.”
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whoever → receive → office
Trump’s announcement initially created uncertainty over how the ban would be enforced.
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ban → create → uncertainty
Journalists from all three outlets remained on White House grounds Friday afternoon, hours after Trump announced the restrictions.
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Trump → remain → restrictions
MS Now’s journalists being turned away on Saturday indicates the White House has begun enforcing the restrictions, though it remained unclear whether CNN and Politico journalists had also been denied access.
uncertain
journalists → turn → access
The Aporia
