UNITED STATES. “Propagators of false information”: Donald Trump bans media from access to the White House

Donald Trump, taking a new step in his war against the media, announced this Friday that he would ban access to the White House from the television channels CNN and MSNOW (formerly MSNBC) as well as the online media Politico “with immediate effect”. “Other media propagating false information will follow,” threatened the American president on his Truth Social network.

The 80-year-old Republican has repeatedly attacked journalists or media outlets whose coverage he displeases, whether in court, on Truth Social or even verbally during exchanges with journalists. He also removed the Associated Press news agency, a pillar of American journalism, from the Oval Office after the latter refused to adopt the name “Gulf of America” for the Gulf of Mexico.

“Illegal attack” on press freedom

This spectacular announcement on Friday, the concrete repercussions of which were not immediately clear, comes at a time of great political difficulty for Donald Trump. The American president is increasingly unpopular because of the high cost of living in the United States and the soaring price of fuel. The Americans also criticize his decision to trigger a conflict against Iran, the outcome of which is more uncertain than ever. According to polls, the Republican Party risks losing control of one or even both chambers of the American Congress following the legislative elections on November 3.

“I think someone has the right to keep them away if they’re writing false stories all the time,” Trump said during a press exchange in the Oval Office, also declaring: “Our country has to have honest reporting.”

“We have the right under the U.S. Constitution to carry out this information work without hindrance or interference from the government. If the ban brandished by President Trump were to materialize, it would be an illegal attack on this fundamental right,” reacted CNN in a press release published on X.