Trump Says He’s ‘Banning’ CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the WH

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

How do you want to split it?

SPEAKER_2 (0:01)

Actually, dinner's on me.

SPEAKER_3 (0:02)

Okay, big money.

SPEAKER_2 (0:03)

Well, I got a Venmo balance that I can spend with my Venmo Debit MasterCard, so.

SPEAKER_3 (0:08)

Well, I Venmo'd you three times last week, so it's kinda on me, actually.

SPEAKER_2 (0:12)

Yeah, you send it, I spend it.

SPEAKER_3 (0:13)

Did my money get, like, reincarnated?

SPEAKER_2 (0:15)

Yeah, it's chicken shawarma. You want it back?

SPEAKER_3 (0:18)

I can't believe you, like, ate my Venmo.

SPEAKER_2 (0:21)

Spend your balance instantly with the Venmo Debit Card. No monthly fee or minimum balance. Venmo balance, account required to get a card and use a balance. The Venmo MasterCard is issued by the Bancorp Bank, NA. So good, so good, so good.

SPEAKER_4 (0:32)

Nordstrom Rack is celebrating 125 years of Nordstrom with 125 of the best deals up to 65% off in stores and online. They're only here while supplies last. So shop today. Great brands, great prices. That's why you Rack.

Anderson Cooper (0:52)

Good evening from the newsroom. We're tracking two breaking stories tonight. One, an unfolding protest at the Kennedy Center. The other, a presidential ban from the White House for CNN. We begin tonight at the White House. The President of the United States announcing today with no warning that he has banned CNN from the White House along with Ms Now and Politico. He announced the ban in a social media post that read in part, I am proud to announce that effective immediately I'm banning fake news CNN, Ms Now, who recently changed their name from Ms NBC due to lack of viewership and credibility and Politico from the White House as a result of their constant reporting fake news. He went on to say other fake news media outlets to follow. Later, I spoke about the ban from the Oval Office, and we're going to play some of what he said in a moment. But first, just to make two things clear. First, no actual journalist or news organization wants to become the story. The job, our job, and there are a few and fewer outlets doing this is to report what is happening, to try to make sense of it, present various viewpoints about it. President Trump has now thrust CNN into the headlines and announced a ban from the White House, which is often referred to as the People's House, a symbol of our democracy that belongs to every American, not to any one president.

Secondly, to the accusation of fake news, CNN has released a statement. It reads, CNN stands fully behind our White House team and their fair and accurate reporting. We have a right under the US. Constitution to do that reporting without hindrance or interference from the government. Should the ban, which President Trump threatened to go ahead, it would be an illegal assault on that fundamental and constitutionally protected right.

Now, the president was repeatedly asked about the ban by reporters at the event in the Oval Office today.

SPEAKER_6 (2:27)

Sir, Mr. President, earlier today you posted that you intend to ban CNN, Politico and MS Now from the White House. Every president takes an oath to uphold the Constitution, which includes the First Amendment.

SPEAKER_4 (2:41)

How do you justify such a ban?

Donald Trump (2:42)

Much more so than you.

SPEAKER_6 (2:45)

Is this serious?

Donald Trump (2:45)

Because they're fake news.

You get so tired of reading and seeing fake news, when you look at CNN, it's just fake. You need a free press.

SPEAKER_4 (2:56)

You need a fair press and an honest press.

Chris Coons (2:58)

Are you doing this ban now?

Leah Wright-Riguerre (3:00)

Is there a particular reason?

SPEAKER_4 (3:02)

No reason.

Chris Coons (3:03)

No, just because...

Donald Trump (3:04)

No, no, it's really just cumulative stories over the last few years. They purposely write negative news, and they do that because they want to try to diminish the Republicans and a Republican administration.

SPEAKER_2 (3:20)

The freedom of the press is enshrined in the First Amendment.

SPEAKER_4 (3:23)

Are you trying to...

Donald Trump (3:23)

Thank you for telling me that.

SPEAKER_6 (3:24)

Are you trying to intimidate the press from doing its job?

Donald Trump (3:27)

No, no, no, no.

I dislike dishonest press, like you. I think you're terrible. But I dislike dishonest. I like to see honest press.

Anderson Cooper (3:37)

Well, for that last reporter, Catherine Lucey of Bloomberg News, it is not the first time the president has lashed out at her specifically. Back in November, when she asked him a question you may remember about his connection to Jeffrey Epstein, he cut her off and said, quiet piggy.