President Trump certainly didn’t hold back this time.
President Donald Trump is escalating his feud with CNN and MS NOW after reporters from the networks continued covering him during his appearance at the United Nations in New York.
The latest confrontation centers on CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins, whom Trump sharply criticized after she attempted to question him during his visit to the United Nations General Assembly.
Trump later addressed the situation on Truth Social, criticizing Collins and questioning why CNN journalists continued covering his public appearances as tensions grew between the White House and several major media outlets.
The clash comes as CNN, MS NOW and Politico challenge the Trump administration in federal court over its decision to bar their reporters from the White House.
Trump Targets Kaitlan Collins After U.N. Encounter
Trump singled out Collins in a late-night social media post following Tuesday’s events in New York.
He called the CNN anchor a “Third Rate ‘Reporter’” and accused CNN and MS NOW of having what he described as a “TRUMP addiction.”
Trump also used substantially harsher language to characterize the networks.
His comments followed an earlier exchange with Collins at U.N. headquarters, where the president questioned why CNN was covering him.
Trump reportedly told Collins during the exchange that CNN should not be there covering him.
Collins responded that CNN’s credentials for the event had been issued by the United Nations.
That distinction matters because the current dispute involves access to the White House, while the United Nations controls media credentials for events held at its New York headquarters.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico Sue Trump Administration
The controversy began after Trump announced that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would no longer be permitted access to the White House.
Reporters representing the three organizations were subsequently denied entry or had their White House credentials deactivated.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico responded by filing a federal lawsuit on September 21.
The organizations argue that the administration retaliated against them because of their journalism, violating First Amendment protections for freedom of speech and the press as well as their due-process rights.
They are asking the court to restore their White House access while the broader legal challenge moves forward.
The Trump administration rejects their argument.
Justice Department attorneys have maintained that news organizations remain free to publish their reporting but do not have an automatic constitutional entitlement to enter White House facilities.
In a court filing, the Justice Department described access to the White House as a “privilege — not a right.”
Federal Judge Raises Questions About White House Ban
The legal fight took another important turn Wednesday.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly told attorneys during a September 23 hearing that the administration’s decision to exclude CNN, MS NOW and Politico did not appear to comply with previous rulings from the federal appeals court governing White House press access.
Kelly did not immediately issue a final ruling on whether access must be restored.
The judge was appointed by Trump during his first term.
Kelly also handled an earlier dispute involving CNN correspondent Jim Acosta. In 2018, he ordered the White House to temporarily restore Acosta’s press credential after concluding that the administration had not provided adequate due process.
That history could become important as the current case proceeds.
Trump Questions Why Networks Continue Covering Him
Trump has repeatedly pointed to what he sees as a contradiction in the networks’ response.
Several major media organizations altered their participation in White House press-pool coverage after CNN, MS NOW and Politico were barred.
Trump has nevertheless noted that journalists from those organizations continue appearing at other events and covering his presidency.
During his New York visit, Trump remarked that reporters who had discussed boycotting certain coverage were still present.
The distinction made by news organizations is that withdrawing from specific White House pool arrangements does not necessarily mean ending independent coverage of the president.
That explains why CNN reporters could still cover Trump’s activities at locations outside White House control, including the United Nations.
Dispute Goes Beyond Trump and CNN
The controversy has grown into a larger legal fight over the government’s authority to control access to presidential facilities.
The administration argues that officials have broad authority to determine who enters secure areas of the White House.
The news organizations argue that once the government establishes a press-access system, it cannot selectively exclude journalists because officials dislike their reporting.
Legal experts interviewed by Reuters have pointed to previous federal court decisions limiting the government’s ability to discriminate against journalists based on viewpoint.
Those competing arguments are now being tested in federal court.
Trump-Media Battle Enters New Phase
Trump’s battles with CNN and other major news organizations are nothing new.
He has spent years accusing prominent outlets of unfair coverage, while the organizations have defended aggressive reporting on the administration as part of the traditional role of an independent press.
This dispute is different because it has moved beyond criticism and into a direct legal fight over physical access to the White House.
For now, three major questions remain unresolved: whether the White House can continue excluding CNN, MS NOW and Politico, whether the outlets received the process required under existing court precedent, and how broadly any eventual ruling could affect future administrations.
With the federal lawsuit moving forward and Trump continuing to publicly criticize the organizations involved, the dispute is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
Leave a Reply