Reporters and a photographer from CNN and MS NOW were denied access to the White House and told their press passes were no longer valid on Saturday morning, according to a CNN report, one day after US President Donald Trump announced he was banning the news outlets.
CNN reporter Betsy Klein recounted that when she tried to enter the premises, a Secret Service agent said her press pass had been deactivated and would not explain why her credentials had been revoked.
According to MS NOW, reporter Akayla Gardner was also not allowed to enter the grounds.
Gardner told MS NOW that her press pass let her through two security gates as usual, but when she tried to enter the White House grounds, her pass did not work and was confiscated.
The MS NOW reporter said that she asked a security guard why her badge was disabled, he said that the matter was “above him.”
CNN, MS NOW assert First Amendment rights
Both CNN and MS NOW issued statements decrying the ban on their reporters and asserting their First Amendment right to freedom of the press.
“CNN’s mission to report on the US government will continue regardless of any attempts to restrict physical access to the White House and other government buildings, or any other attempts to impede our journalism,” CNN said.
MS NOW similarly said it “intends to take any and all steps necessary to defend our First Amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalism in our democracy.”
On Friday, Trump accused MS NOW, CNN, and Politico of spreading "fake news,” banned them from the White House, and warned that other media outlets could face similar bans.
"I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW... and Politico... from the White House as a result of their constant 'reporting' fake news," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Idan Kweller contributed to this report.