U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz on Sunday backed President Trump's decision to bar CNN, Politico, and the left-leaning outlet MS NOW from White House coverage, arguing the administration is justified in restricting access for news organizations it views as not operating in good faith.
During an interview on CNN's "State of the Union," Waltz told host Dana Bash that the president "is absolutely within his rights to limit journalists to government facilities, particularly when, in his opinion, they're not behaving as good faith journalists." He framed the move as a corrective to what he described as persistent bias and unfair treatment of the administration.
Bash, pressing Waltz—a former Green Beret—on constitutional principles, reminded him of the First Amendment protections for the press. Waltz responded by pointing to actions under the prior administration, asserting that "the prior administration limited all kinds of journalistic outfits and journalists themselves that they deemed as right-wing." He added that those outlets have since been granted access, while the current White House believes the newly excluded organizations are not acting in good faith.
The ambassador also urged the media to engage in self-reflection, saying he hoped newsrooms would "take a good introspective look at itself and its practices." He distinguished between what he called "negative reporting" and "garbage gossip journalism," and accused some outlets of making only "a little baby correction" to stories that stick "to people like napalm."
Waltz further pushed back on reporting related to U.S. military deployments and munitions stockpiles, which prompted Bash to note that national security reporting is something "every serious news organization takes seriously." She added that the president's frustration appears rooted in coverage that is "too negative against him," rather than legitimate concerns about accuracy.
The ban was announced Friday via Truth Social, with Trump declaring it in effect immediately "as a result of their constant 'reporting' FAKE NEWS!" He later said there was no specific trigger for the timing. On Saturday, reporters from the three outlets were denied entry to White House grounds. CNN, Politico, and MS NOW all condemned the action, with MS NOW vowing to "take any and all steps necessary" to protect its reporters' constitutional rights. Politico's editor-in-chief, Jonathan Greenberger, said Secret Service agents confiscated reporter Cheyenne Haslett's press pass.
The move has drawn criticism from free-speech advocates and press organizations, including some Fox News contributors, who called it a violation of press freedom. The controversy comes amid broader tensions over media access and the administration's relationship with the press. For context, the Biden administration had also tightened White House pass requirements in March 2025, reducing the number of passes from 1,417 to 975, with only one application denied, according to Snopes and Politico.
In a related incident during the Biden era, journalists Max Blumenthal and Sam Husseini were escorted out of a State Department briefing in January 2025 after confronting then-Secretary Antony Blinken over the administration's Gaza policy, with Husseini shouting that Blinken belonged "in the Hague." That episode underscored long-standing tensions over press access and government accountability.
The White House press ban has intensified debates over press freedom and executive power, particularly as the midterm elections approach. Legal challenges are possible, and press advocates are closely watching how the administration balances security and access. The administration's stance, as articulated by Waltz, suggests it will continue to assert broad authority over who covers the president, potentially setting up further clashes with the media. As the situation develops, the implications for journalistic independence and the public's right to information remain central concerns.
