# Trump Bars CNN, MSNBC, Politico; Calls Press 'Treasonous'

- URL: https://twotakes.us/stories/trump-bars-cnn-msnbc-politico-calls-press-treasonous
- Published: 2026-09-24T13:08:19.661335+00:00
- Topics: press-freedom, trump-administration, media-bias, white-house-press-corps, cnn

## What the left says
- Barring entire news organizations from White House access because their coverage is unflattering represents a direct attack on press freedom and the First Amendment.
- Calling journalists 'sick, treasonous, and demented' for asking legitimate questions about the Iran war and other policy failures normalizes authoritarian rhetoric toward the press.
- Attacking the federal judge overseeing the media outlets' lawsuit as 'totally disloyal' undermines judicial independence and the rule of law.
- Kaitlan Collins was properly credentialed by the United Nations and never said CNN would stop covering the president, meaning Trump's justification for confronting her was based on a falsehood.

## What the right says
- Trump and his administration argue CNN, MS NOW, and Politico have a longstanding pattern of biased, dishonest coverage that amounts to 'FICTION and LIES' rather than legitimate journalism.
- Karoline Leavitt's account that reporters privately apologize for unfair questions dictated by corporate bosses suggests the press corps' adversarial posture is manufactured for ratings rather than genuine inquiry.
- The president has discretion over who receives special access to the White House press briefing room, and other networks continue rotating through pool coverage duties.
- Trump's frustration reflects a broader belief that outlets like CNN behave as political opponents rather than neutral observers, justifying his sharp rhetoric toward reporters like Collins.

## Common ground
- CNN, MS NOW, and Politico had their White House press credentials revoked over the weekend before the UN exchange occurred.
- The three outlets filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to regain access, with U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly presiding.
- Kaitlan Collins was present at the United Nations General Assembly covering Trump's visit, and CNN did not formally announce it would stop covering the president.
- TV pool coverage was suspended by other networks in protest of the ban, affecting video access to certain presidential events.

## Sources
- [The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/09/trump-kaitlan-collins-united-nations/688757/?utm_source=feed) (Lean Left)
- [Daily Wire](https://www.dailywire.com/news/karoline-leavitt-drops-truth-bomb-on-white-house-media-circus) (Right)
- [Blaze Media](https://www.theblaze.com/news/trump-kaitlan-collins-ban-press) (Right)
- [HuffPost](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-midnight-media-meltdown_n_6ab357a1e4b043d6b569d5f2) (Left)
- [Breitbart](https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/09/22/trump-zings-cnns-kaitlan-collins-for-coverage-of-unga-you-shouldnt-be-covering-me/) (Unknown)
- [HuffPost](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-snaps-at-kaitlan-collins-ahead-of-un-speech-you-should-not-be-here_n_6ab295d5e4b085277b539118) (Left)

---
Content by TwoTakes (https://twotakes.us). You may quote, summarize and cite it, including in AI answers, as long as you credit TwoTakes and link the story URL. Original reporting belongs to the linked outlets. Summaries are AI-assisted and reviewed for balance; check the original sources for authoritative reporting.