RSF says it is appalled by Trump's threat to ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico and that press access is not a privilege
International press-freedom organization, in a post on its official international X account (@RSF_inter)
“RSF is appalled by Trump’s threat to ban @CNN, @MSNOWNews and @Politico from the White House over coverage he dislikes. Press access is not a privilege for journalists.”
Source and context
Original post
About this source
RSF's main international account, linked from rsf.org. Text, timestamp and author read exactly through the fxtwitter API (api.fxtwitter.com/RSF_inter/status/2101056490392240354). The post continues with a sentence saying press access is a right that lets Americans be independently informed and a sentence saying RSF is exploring legal avenues to respond; those are not in exactQuotation. The post gives no detail on the legal avenues.
Reporting
About this source
CNN Business story first published 3:40 PM EDT on September 18, 2026 and last modified 10:12 PM EDT (page metadata), read in full on cnn.com. CNN is one of the three outlets, so its account of its own staff is an outlet's account.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
On the afternoon of Friday, September 18, 2026, President Trump posted on Truth Social that, effective immediately, he was banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House because of their coverage, and that other outlets would follow. He defended the announcement when asked about it at an Oval Office event the same day.
After the quotation
CNN and Politico also issued statements about the announcement that day, and CNN reported that there was no indication the administration had taken steps to follow through as of Friday evening.
How this statement is classified
Case context: Should President Trump bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House over their coverage?
The label describes this statement’s response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case's fixed reference point is President Trump's announcement, by Truth Social post on Friday, September 18, 2026 and reaffirmed in the Oval Office that afternoon, that CNN, MS NOW and Politico are banned from the White House because of their coverage. Relative to that act, RSF says it is appalled by Trump's threat to ban the three outlets over coverage he dislikes and that press access is a right rather than a privilege, which is an express rejection of the exclusion. The closest competing label is challenges_characterization, because RSF calls the announcement a threat to ban rather than a completed ban. That loses because the word describes the announcement without softening RSF's evaluation, which is a clear substantive condemnation; its statement that it is exploring legal avenues describes a possible response and does not make that view conditional.
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Should President Trump bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House over their coverage?
Explore the case context, sources and public responses.
More from this case
Read the full caseMS NOW
“MS NOW intends to take any and all steps necessary to defend our First Amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalism in our democracy.”Read statement
The White House
“The White House declined to comment further Saturday, referring NBC News to Trump’s previous comments.”Read statement
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression
“When the White House opens its doors to the press, it must comply with the First Amendment. The president is as free as any other person to criticize media coverage. But he can’t ban outlets from the White House just because he doesn’t like their reporting or commentary.”Read statement