SPJ urges the White House to reverse the ban and says access cannot be used as leverage over journalism
Society of Professional JournalistsProfessional association of journalists, in a press release
The Society of Professional Journalists said it strongly objects to the ban, that government officials do not get to decide which legitimate news organizations deserve access based on whether they approve of their reporting, and that the White House should reverse the decision. It cited a D.C. Circuit decision it says is still binding, under which press access cannot be denied arbitrarily or based on the content of a publication’s reporting.
“Government officials do not get to decide which legitimate news organizations deserve access based on whether they approve of their reporting. A free press must be able to question those in power, report critically on government actions and serve the public without fear that access will be revoked as punishment for unfavorable coverage. … SPJ urges the White House to reverse this decision and ensure that credentialed journalists can continue covering the presidency regardless of whether their reporting is perceived as favorable or critical.”
Official statement
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
Official statement
About this source
SPJ's press release of September 18, 2026. It cites a D.C. Circuit decision it says is still binding, under which White House press access cannot be denied arbitrarily or based on the content of a publication's reporting.
Reporting
About this source
Editor & Publisher's survey of responses to the ban by press associations, press-freedom groups and news organizations, including statements by RTDNA, SPJ, IRE and the National Press Club and Jeff Jarvis's CNN appearance.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The statement was issued the day President Trump announced the ban on Truth Social, September 18, and after he suggested other news organizations could also be excluded.
After the quotation
IRE, in its own statement the next day, said it was joining SPJ and the National Press Club in calling for the President to reverse his decision immediately.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
On Trump’s decision to exclude CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House access because of their coverage, SPJ condemns the exclusion and asks the White House to reverse it, citing a legal standard on access and the principle that access cannot be used as leverage over coverage. No competing label plausibly applies.
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The Dispute Index. "SPJ urges the White House to reverse the ban and says access cannot be used as leverage over journalism". First published: 2026-09-21. Last updated: 2026-09-22. https://disputeindex.com/events/1330-the-society-of-professional-journalists-said-it-strongly