Trump declares war on CNN, MSNBC and Politico: ‘Out of the White House’

One month after taking office, in February 2025, he banned Associated Press journalists from the Oval Office, Air Force One and other restricted events. This was in retaliation against the news organisation, which had refused to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the ‘Gulf of America’, as decided by Trump.

The president has also launched high-profile legal battles against major media outlets, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, CNN itself, ABC News and the BBC. Not to mention the daily slurs and insults directed at reporters – mostly women – who have been described, at various times, as ‘ugly’, ‘stupid’, ‘fat’ or ‘sullen’. Shortly before the announcement, the tycoon had published another post in which he attacked CNN, calling it “unwatchable” and “on the brink of bankruptcy”.

But beyond The Donald’s public attacks since his return to the White House, the entire administration has sought to exclude the less-aligned media from events. One need only consider the ‘new media chair’ introduced in the presidential residence’s press room – a seat reserved for new media outlets selected by the spokesperson, which are usually websites, bloggers or small newspapers with close ties to the Republicans.

Or the new regulation introduced by the Pentagon to restrict journalists’ ability to gather and disseminate sensitive information. In that instance, the move led to a mass walkout by news organisations, which refused to sign the required undertaking.

Subsequently, a federal judge ruled that the policy was unconstitutional, but the Pentagon press room remains empty. It is unclear what will happen at the White House following this latest ban. “At the moment, there are no indications” that the threat will materialise, said CNN journalist Brian Stelter, emphasising that the news organisation “continues to operate as usual”.