First Lady Melania Trump approved CNN reporter Betsy Klein to cover her "Fostering the Future" event in New York as the UN General Assembly opens on September 22, a move that contrasts with President Trump's recent ban on several outlets from the White House press pool. The president revoked access for CNN, Politico and a network identified as "MS NOW," calling their reporting "fiction and lies." CNN, Politico and MS NOW have filed lawsuits arguing the ban violates the First Amendment, and several major news organizations have protested the administration's action.
Melania Trump Grants CNN Access at UN Event Despite White House Ban
US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump attend the 25th anniversary commemoration of the September 11, 2001 attacks at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on September 11, 2026. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images) (AFP via Getty Images)
First Lady Melania Trump has allowed a CNN reporter to cover her Fostering the Future event in New York City on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, appearing to diverge from President Donald Trump's recent decision to bar several news organizations from the White House press pool.
Melania will allow a CNN reporter to cover her event in NYC (@ Getty Images)
According to CNN chief media analyst Brian Stelter, reporter Betsy Klein was approved by the First Lady's office to attend and report on the Tuesday event as the UN General Assembly convenes on September 22. Stelter said reporters may respond to access restrictions by seeking credentialing through other offices and venues.
Donald banned CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House press pool (@ AFP via Getty Images)
"We're going to see reporters get creative," Stelter said. "That's what we do sometimes when we have to. We're going to see reporters try and get credentialed in other ways." He added that similar individual approvals could follow for other events on the UN sidelines.
CNN released a statement in light of the ban (@ AFP via Getty Images)
President Trump announced on Truth Social that he was revoking White House press-pool access for CNN, Politico and a network identified in some announcements as "MS NOW," accusing those outlets of publishing "FICTION and LIES" about him and his administration.
CNN, Politico and MS NOW have filed lawsuits against Donald (@ Getty Images)
Trump: "Virtually every story about me, or anything having to do with me, is negative, wrong and, in many cases, DANGEROUS for our Country! ... Fake News people and publications that only write negatively ... shouldn't be allowed access to the most important Office anywhere in the World."
CNN responded that its White House credentials were revoked and condemned the move as an illegal infringement on press freedom, saying it would continue to report on the U.S. government. CNN, Politico and the outlet referred to as MS NOW have filed lawsuits arguing the restrictions violate the First Amendment and deny the press due process.
Several networks have shared their solidarity with the banned outlets (@ AFP via Getty Images)
Major U.S. television networks — including ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox News — briefly suspended coverage of President Trump in protest of the ban, while outlets such as The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Associated Press announced they would not publish images from the White House photography pool in solidarity.
By approving a CNN journalist for her UN-side event, the First Lady's office appears to be creating a separate channel of press access even as the dispute over official White House credentials and the scope of press freedoms continues to escalate.
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