Bernie Sanders says Trump’s press ban undermines the First Amendment and democracy
Bernie SandersU.S. senator from Vermont, in a public statement reported by The New York Times
Sanders said the press exclusions undermined the First Amendment, the Constitution and democracy, and called them authoritarian.
“We will not allow Trump to undermine the First Amendment, the Constitution and our democracy. We will not accept authoritarianism.”
Reporting
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
Reporting
About this source
The Times's live report attributes statements to White House communications director Steven Cheung, Senator Bernie Sanders and commentator Benny Johnson while covering enforcement of the ban.
Before the quotation
Sanders responded as news organizations and public officials reacted to the enforced White House exclusions.
After the quotation
His statement presents categorical opposition and contains no limiting condition.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Sanders directly opposes the conduct as an attack on constitutional press freedom and characterizes it as authoritarian.
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- People and groups discussed
- Donald Trump
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- Bernie Sanders says Trump’s press ban undermines the First Amendment and democracy
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The Dispute Index. "Bernie Sanders says Trump’s press ban undermines the First Amendment and democracy". First published: 2026-09-21. Last updated: 2026-09-21. https://disputeindex.com/events/1314-sanders-said-the-press-exclusions-undermined-the-first