The Trump administration and the press: the White House's control of press access

Active · last development Sep 26, 2026: “Banned news outlets ask judge court to extend block on White House enforcement”

What this arc covers

The White House's moves to decide which reporters cover the president: its exclusion of the Associated Press over the name Gulf of America, the AP's lawsuit and the rulings on its access, its takeover of the press pool, and its September 2026 ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico, with the outlets' lawsuit, the court hearing, the administration's defense and the reaction from other news organizations.

Photo from MS Now, with White House blocks CNN from Air Force One (Sep 24, 2026), the story with the most independent sources this week.

Earliest story we hold Feb 11, 2025 · 35 stories · 279 independent sources (counted once each) · 592 days

Part ofDonald TrumpJD VanceJon StewartKaitlan CollinsMelania TrumpNatalie HarpTennesseeUnited Nations

Part of The Trump administration and the press

  1. Trump's lawsuits against news outletsOct 31, 2024 – Aug 22, 2026
  2. The end of federal money for NPR and PBSJan 30, 2025 – Mar 31, 2026
  3. Hegseth's Pentagon press restrictionsFeb 1, 2025 – Sep 4, 2026
  4. the White House's control of press accessThis arcFeb 11, 2025 – Sep 26, 2026
  5. The FCC's early review of ABC's licensesApr 28 – Aug 30, 2026

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Sep 26– 292026Banned news outlets ask judge court to extend block on White House enforcement44 articles · 32 independent sources
5 left, 9 center, 4 right
Sep 25– 282026Networks to resume TV pool coverage of Trump despite White House block of CNN6 articles · 6 independent sources
2 left, 2 center, 0 right
Sep 252026The White House network TV pool resumes operations after a dayslong ban of news outlets from grounds41 articles · 27 independent sources
5 left, 6 center, 1 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Feb 11 – 14, 2025White House blocks AP reporter from Trump-Modi news conference because of Gulf of Mexico fight44 articles · 32 independent sources
    1. Feb 11, 2025White House bars AP reporter from Oval Office because of AP policy on 'Gulf of America'
    2. Feb 14, 2025The White House bans the AP indefinitely over the use of ‘Gulf of Mexico’
  2. Feb 21 – 22, 2025AP sues 3 Trump administration officials, citing freedom of speech48 articles · 36 independent sources
  3. Apr 8 – 9, 2025AP wins reinstatement to White House events after judge rules government can’t bar its journalists43 articles · 29 independent sources
  4. Sep 18 – 24, 2026CNN and MS NOW reporters back at White House, hours after judge ordered Trump to lift ban1115 articles · 164 independent sources
    1. Sep 18, 2026Trump bans CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters from White House
    2. Sep 21, 2026CNN, MS NOW, Politico sue over denied White House access, citing First Amendment
    3. Sep 21, 2026White House launches Trump TV following press bans
    4. Sep 22, 2026Trump’s press ban prompts widespread solidarity — and fewer images of the president
    5. Sep 23, 2026Judge hears arguments on Trump’s ban of three news outlets from White House grounds
  5. Sep 22 – 23, 2026‘You should not be here,’ Trump tells CNN at UN as standoff with media outlets persists40 articles · 30 independent sources
  6. Sep 24 – 27, 2026White House blocks CNN from Air Force One86 articles · 54 independent sources
    1. Sep 24, 2026Judge blocks Trump’s White House ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico
    2. Sep 24, 2026Only center coverage:Trump complains CNN, MS NOW didn't cover 'made for Television' Xi visit
    3. Sep 25, 2026Only center coverage:CNN left off Air Force One for Trump's upcoming trip, White House signals in new media restriction
    4. Sep 26, 2026White House bars CNN from covering Trump on behalf of major TV networks as he travels to Tennessee
  7. Sep 26 – 29, 2026Banned news outlets ask judge court to extend block on White House enforcement44 articles · 32 independent sources
    1. Sep 26, 2026Judge blocks Trump's ban on 3 news outlets
    2. Sep 29, 2026Banned news outlets ask judge to extend block on White House enforcement

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Feb 2025Jun 2025Oct 2025Feb 2026Jun 2026Sep 2026

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Feb 10, 2025612538
Feb 17, 2025410744
Feb 24, 2025412149
Mar 24, 202511110
Apr 7, 202518540
Apr 14, 202514324
Jun 2, 20251416
Oct 27, 20252125
Nov 24, 20250305
Aug 10, 20260113
Sep 14, 2026234330300
Sep 21, 20265610046982
Sep 28, 202648440

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

25% left · 55% center · 20% right of 279 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 35 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. February 2025

    Feb 11– 14White House blocks AP reporter from Trump-Modi news conference because of Gulf of Mexico fight44 articles · 32 independent sources
    6 left, 12 center, 5 right
  2. Feb 21– 22AP sues 3 Trump administration officials, citing freedom of speech48 articles · 36 independent sources
    4 left, 10 center, 7 right
  3. Feb 24– 25Judge rejects immediately restoring AP’s access to White House but urges government to reconsider16 articles · 14 independent sources
    1 left, 5 center, 1 right
  4. Feb 25– 26White House to decide which news outlets cover Trump, breaking press tradition35 articles · 20 independent sources
    4 left, 10 center, 0 right

  5. March 2025

    Mar 27The AP and the Trump administration are due back in court in their fight over White House access10 articles · 10 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 1 right

  6. April 2025

    Apr 8– 9AP wins reinstatement to White House events after judge rules government can’t bar its journalists43 articles · 29 independent sources
    1 left, 8 center, 5 right
  7. Apr 14– 15Despite a court order, White House bars AP from Oval Office event12 articles · 8 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 1 right
  8. Apr 18AP and the Trump administration argue over presidential access before appeals judges12 articles · 10 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 2 right

  9. June 2025

    Jun 6– 7US court says Trump can bar AP from key White House events for now6 articles · 6 independent sources
    1 left, 4 center, 1 right

  10. November 2025

    Nov 1White House limits reporters from press secretary’s office5 articles · 5 independent sources
    2 left, 1 center, 2 right
  11. Nov 24AP and Trump administration argue access case before federal appeals court5 articles · 4 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 0 right

  12. August 2026

    Aug 11– 12After Trump plane ruse, WHCA presses White House on press pool safeguards3 articles · 3 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 1 right

  13. September 2026

    Sep 18– 21Fox’s Jacqui Heinrich calls for Trump to end White House media ban, cites First Amendment3 articles · 3 independent sources
    0 left, 0 center, 3 right
  14. Sep 18– 24CNN and MS NOW reporters back at White House, hours after judge ordered Trump to lift ban1115 articles · 164 independent sources
    52 left, 106 center, 50 right
  15. Sep 18– 19Trump bars CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House…2 articles · 2 independent sources
    0 left, 0 center, 2 right
  16. Sep 18Trump says these 2 ‘crummy papers’ may be next targets of White House ban3 articles · 3 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  17. Sep 20Moore says Trump uses Constitution like a 'suggestion box' in banning CNN, Politico, MS NOW reporters from White House2 articles · 2 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 1 right
  18. Sep 20What is the White House press pool, and why is it now under threat?8 articles · 8 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  19. Sep 21– 22Vance defends Trump's media ban as 'totally appropriate'5 articles · 5 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 4 right
  20. Sep 21– 22Natalie Harp showed video to Trump before he banned reporters: Source5 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 1 right
  21. Sep 21Flashback: That Time When CNN Wondered Whether Biden Should Ban Fox News From the White House2 articles · 2 independent sources
    0 left, 0 center, 2 right
  22. Sep 21Trump’s press ban backfires at White House event as critics crack up3 articles · 3 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  23. Sep 22Jon Stewart rips Trump's media ban: 'Have you tried presidenting better?'7 articles · 7 independent sources
    2 left, 2 center, 0 right
  24. Sep 22Trump’s questionable press ban: Letters to the Editor — Sept. 23, 20262 articles · 2 independent sources
    1 left, 0 center, 1 right
  25. Sep 22We Are All CNN: The Free Beacon Will Never Abandon Our Fellow Journalists In Their Time of Need2 articles · 2 independent sources
    0 left, 0 center, 1 right
  26. Sep 22– 23‘You should not be here,’ Trump tells CNN at UN as standoff with media outlets persists40 articles · 30 independent sources
    3 left, 6 center, 6 right
  27. Sep 22David Bozell Breaks Down CNN, MS NOW and Politico’s ‘Ban’ From the White House2 articles · 2 independent sources
    0 left, 0 center, 1 right
  28. Sep 22– 23What is the White House press pool and how does it work?2 articles · 2 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  29. Sep 22Trump drops 4-word prediction on what comes next with press ban3 articles · 3 independent sources
    1 left, 0 center, 0 right
  30. Sep 23– 24JD Vance stunningly linked to story behind Trump’s press ban5 articles · 5 independent sources
    2 left, 0 center, 1 right
  31. Sep 24– 27White House blocks CNN from Air Force One86 articles · 54 independent sources
    10 left, 15 center, 6 right
  32. Sep 24– 26A White House press ban was lifted this week. But the tensions and legal battle aren't over yet9 articles · 9 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 1 right
  33. Sep 25The White House network TV pool resumes operations after a dayslong ban of news outlets from grounds41 articles · 27 independent sources
    5 left, 6 center, 1 right
  34. Sep 25– 28Networks to resume TV pool coverage of Trump despite White House block of CNN6 articles · 6 independent sources
    2 left, 2 center, 0 right
  35. Sep 26– 29Banned news outlets ask judge court to extend block on White House enforcement44 articles · 32 independent sources
    5 left, 9 center, 4 right