WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday that the White House was immediately barring CNN, MS NOW and Politico from covering the administration, while warning that other news organizations could face similar restrictions. Trump announced the move on his social media platform, accusing the three outlets of repeatedly publishing what he called “FAKE NEWS” and “FICTION and LIES.” He did not explain how the restrictions would work or identify specific reports that prompted the decision. The announcement came shortly before Trump spoke with reporters in the Oval Office during a health care event. He was later scheduled to bring the White House press pool to his golf club in Virginia for a meeting and dinner sponsored by his political action committee, before traveling to Camp David for the weekend. The decision could disrupt the traditional five-network television press pool that accompanies the president and provides independent video coverage of presidential events. Such pools are used when space, security or logistics prevent every news organization from attending, with participating outlets sharing footage with other media. The White House has not publicly detailed whether the three organizations would be excluded from all presidential events, denied individual credentials or removed from the shared press pool. The lack of details leaves open questions about how the administration would apply the prohibition and whether it would affect reporters’ ability to question the president or observe official business. Trump has repeatedly criticized news organizations whose coverage he says is hostile to him. In February 2025, his administration barred Associated Press journalists from the Oval Office, Air Force One and some smaller events after the news organization declined to adopt Trump’s preferred name for the Gulf of Mexico. The AP sued, and that case remains pending. Since returning to office, Trump has also pursued legal action involving The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and the BBC. The latest access threat intensifies a broader conflict between the administration and independent news organizations over the government’s control of access to the president. The First Amendment limits government efforts to punish or discriminate against the press because of its reporting. Presidential administrations have long managed press access, especially at crowded events, but selective exclusion based on coverage can trigger constitutional challenges and concerns that public officials are using government access to pressure news organizations. For the public, the dispute reaches beyond the affected companies. Restricting outlets from presidential events can reduce the number of independent reporters able to scrutinize official statements and actions, particularly when the administration controls the setting, timing and format of media appearances.