National Press Club says a government confident in its actions “should never fear independent scrutiny”
National Press ClubProfessional organization for journalists in Washington, D.C., in a press release quoting president Mark Schoeff Jr.
In a statement by its president, Mark Schoeff Jr., the National Press Club condemned the ban as a clear attempt to control who may witness and report on presidential power, called on the President to reverse it immediately, and said it would tell other news organizations to soften their coverage or lose access.
“The National Press Club condemns President Trump's declaration on Truth Social that he plans to immediately ban CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House. Banning news organizations from the White House based on the administration's disapproval of their coverage is a clear attempt to control which voices are allowed to witness and report on the exercise of presidential power. … The National Press Club calls on the President to reverse this declaration immediately. … A government confident in its actions should never fear independent scrutiny.”
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
Press release of September 18, 2026 carrying a statement by National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr.
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 on September 18, the day the ban was announced on Truth Social.
After the quotation
The statement adds that the message of the ban “tells other news organizations to soften their coverage. It tells reporters to think twice before asking difficult questions, or else lose access.”
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, The National Press Club condemns the exclusion, calls on the President to reverse it, and describes it as an attack on every reporter’s right to hold power to account. No competing label plausibly applies.
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- National Press Club says a government confident in its actions “should never fear independent scrutiny”
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The Dispute Index. "National Press Club says a government confident in its actions “should never fear independent scrutiny”". First published: 2026-09-21. Last updated: 2026-09-22. https://disputeindex.com/events/1332-in-a-statement-by-its-president-mark-schoeff