CNN: White House bars Politico journalists from Trump's press pool
In short
Politico journalists were not allowed on board US President Donald Trump's plane and the outlet was excluded from the press pool that accompanies him on trips, CNN reported, according to RIA Novosti and TASS. At the end of September, Trump stripped CNN, MS NOW and Politico of accredited White House access, citing their “negative material”, TASS reported. US media insist the White House has not justified the access ban, CNN said.
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Politico journalists were not allowed on board US President Donald Trump's plane, and the outlet was excluded from the press pool that accompanies the president on trips, CNN reported, according to RIA Novosti and TASS. RIA Novosti carried the report on the evening of 5 October, and TASS followed on the morning of 6 October. [ 1 , 2 ]
TASS, citing CNN, reported that at the end of September Trump removed accredited White House access from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, citing their “negative material”. US media insist the White House did not justify that ban, CNN said, according to the same TASS report. [ 3 ]
The documents do not include a statement from the White House on the matter, and no reason is given in them for Politico's exclusion from the plane or the press pool on this occasion. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The reports describe a US president restricting access for specific outlets, a step that affects how the White House press pool — and the travelling press corps — is composed. For Russian official outlets, which are relaying CNN's account rather than reporting their own findings, the episode is covered as a US domestic media dispute. The documents give no indication of consequences beyond the White House press arrangements.
Key facts
- Politico journalists were not allowed on board Donald Trump's plane, CNN reported, according to RIA Novosti and TASS. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Politico was excluded from the press pool that accompanies the US president on trips, CNN reported per TASS. [ 2 ]
- At the end of September, Trump removed accredited White House access from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, citing their “negative material”, according to TASS. [ 3 ]
- US media insist the White House did not justify the access ban, CNN reported per TASS. [ 3 ]
- RIA Novosti reported the White House decision on the evening of 5 October; TASS followed on the morning of 6 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether the White House gave any justification for the access restrictions. TASS, citing CNN, says US media insist no justification was provided; no statement from the White House itself appears in the documents.
- The reason Politico was excluded from the president's plane and press pool on this occasion. The documents report the exclusion but give no explanation for it, and CNN is the single source for the detail.
- Whether the accredited-access restrictions on CNN, MS NOW and Politico remain in force. The documents describe the end-of-September decision but do not say whether it has since been changed.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- US President Donald Trump removes accredited White House access from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, citing their “negative material”, according to CNN. [ 3 ]
- RIA Novosti reports, citing CNN, that the White House did not allow Politico journalists on board Trump's plane. [ 1 ]
- TASS reports, citing CNN, that Politico representatives were not admitted on board Trump's plane and that the outlet was excluded from the presidential press pool. [ 2 ]
- TASS reports, citing CNN, that US media insist the White House has not justified the access ban. [ 3 ]