Trump calls the exclusion "a very simple ban" that could end if the outlets "straighten themselves out"
Donald TrumpPresident of the United States, answering reporters' questions at an Oval Office event on health care
President Trump answers questions about the ban he wants on some news organizations, at the Sept. 18, 2026 White House healthcare announcement.
Excerpt from 53:13 to 55:45 of the White House video. DI added its logo in the corner.
Video: The White House. Public domain (U.S. government work) (opens in a new tab)
Watch the full original video (opens in a new tab) (relevant passage: 53:15-55:43 of the White House video (quoted answer at 53:47-53:59))
Asked what the exclusion means in practice, and whether it covers press badges, the press pool or the Oval Office, Trump said he does not want the outlets in his office or at the White House, that the ban would go "as far as you can", and that he would love it if they could straighten themselves out.
“A very simple ban. I don't want them in my office. I don't want them here. I would say the ban would go as far as you can, and if they could straighten themselves out, you know, if they could straighten themselves out, I'd love it.”
Original video
Other statements by Donald Trump in this case
- Trump tells CNN's Kaitlan Collins at the UN that she should not be there covering himLater: Defended or excused
- Trump calls Kaitlan Collins and CNN "SLEAZEBAGS" and "sick, treasonous, and demented"Later: Defended or excused
- Trump tells MS NOW's Akayla Gardner to "be quiet" and calls her network "fake news"Later: Defended or excused
Where this statement fits
Should President Trump bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House over their coverage?
On Friday, September 18, 2026, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that, "effective immediately, I am banning" CNN, MS NOW and Politico "from the White House as a result of their constant 'reporting' FAKE NEWS!" About an hour later, in the Oval Office, he said no particular story prompted the decision, that he does not want the outlets "in my office," and that "somebody has a right to keep them away" if outlets write false stories. The three outlets and press-freedom groups oppose the exclusion, citing constitutional protection for the press, and the White House Correspondents' Association said it "stands in defense of our colleagues at CNN, MSNOW, and POLITICO." On Saturday, September 19, MS NOW, CNN and Politico said their White House reporters were refused entry and had press passes confiscated; the White House referred questions to Trump's earlier remarks. The dispute is over whether President Trump should exclude named news organizations from White House access over what they report.
Source and context
Original video
About this source
Official White House video of the President's health-care event in the Oval Office on September 18, 2026, which began at about 3:38 PM EDT and ran 56 minutes. The quoted wording is our transcription of the video audio. Transcription adds punctuation but no words. CNN's published transcription of the passage reads "It's a very simple ban"; the recording is followed here.
Watch the clip from this source at the top of the page.
Before the quotation
A reporter asked what the exclusion meant in practice, listing badges, the press pool and the Oval Office. Trump first said "Oh, the ban on the free press, right?" and then gave the answer quoted here.
After the quotation
Trump went on to call the outlets dishonest, cited past media settlements and lawsuits, and closed the event by saying "So we are banning them. Yes, we are. And there may be others to follow."
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Trump restates and defines the act in his own terms, saying he does not want the outlets in his office or at the White House. The closest competing label is “Mixed or conditional”, because he says he would "love it" if the outlets straightened themselves out. That loses because the remark describes when he might relent, not a reservation about the exclusion he is defending.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- CNN, MS NOW, Politico
More from this case
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The White House
“No person and no journalist has a constitutional right to access to the President's Oval Office, Air Force One, or other sensitive and private facilities.”Read statement
Schiff says White House press exclusions also harm the public
“When a reporter is denied access to the White House, it isn't just that news organization that suffers. The American people rely on a free press to know what their government is up to, and whether it is acting wisely and lawfully.”Read statement
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- Trump calls the exclusion "a very simple ban" that could end if the outlets "straighten themselves out"
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The Dispute Index. "Trump calls the exclusion "a very simple ban" that could end if the outlets "straighten themselves out"". First published: 2026-09-19. Last updated: 2026-09-22. https://disputeindex.com/events/1134-asked-what-the-exclusion-means-in-practice-and