Ward Clark is a contributor to the conservative news and opinion site RedState.
Case
President Trump announced on September 18 that he is excluding CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House over their coverage. The outlets cite constitutional protections and say their reporters were turned away September 19; Trump says they publish false stories.
Role at the time: Contributor at RedState, in a signed column
Statement summary
In a RedState column published at 4:25 PM EDT on September 18, contributor Ward Clark wrote that a First Amendment objection would be valid if the administration were trying to censor the outlets or stop them disseminating news, but that the First Amendment does not guarantee any outlet a spot in the White House briefing room or anywhere else.
“If the administration were trying to censor these outlets, or to prevent them from disseminating whatever news at whatever angle they care to, that may be a valid argument. But the First Amendment doesn't guarantee any news outlet a spot in the White House briefing room, or anywhere else.”
The case's fixed reference point is President Trump's announcement on September 18, 2026 that CNN, MS NOW and Politico are banned from the White House because of their coverage, as reaffirmed in the Oval Office that afternoon. Clark argues the exclusion is not censorship and not a First Amendment violation, says Trump "may have a point" about the outlets, and draws an "object lesson" about briefing-room reporting. The closest competing label is challenges_characterization, because he disputes the framing of the exclusion as censorship. That loses because the column goes on to endorse the exclusion's rationale rather than only contesting a label.
Statement dates: September 18, 2026
Statement dates: September 18, 2026
Statement dates: September 18, 2026
