The White House barred Politico from boarding Air Force One on Monday, preventing the outlet from serving in the presidential travel press pool. The exclusion follows President Trump's September 18 announcement banning Politico, CNN and MS NOW and a subsequent lawsuit that produced a temporary court order to reinstate press credentials. The administration argues access to confined spaces like Air Force One differs from general White House access; a hearing on a preliminary injunction is scheduled for Thursday.
White House Bars Politico From Air Force One Amid Ongoing Press-Access Lawsuits
CNN
The White House prevented Politico from boarding Air Force One on Monday, blocking the outlet from fulfilling its responsibilities as part of the presidential travel press pool. A Politico spokesperson confirmed the publication was excluded from the out-of-town travel rotation that accompanies the president on trips.
President Donald Trump announced on September 18 that he was "banning" Politico, CNN and MS NOW from the White House—a step legal experts called unconstitutional. The three news organizations filed suit on September 21, arguing the bans violated their First and Fifth Amendment rights. On that basis, U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly issued a temporary restraining order requiring the administration to reinstate the journalists' press credentials.
New Restrictions Focused on Confined Spaces
Despite the court order, the White House has continued to restrict access to confined locations like the Oval Office and Air Force One. CNN has repeatedly been kept off Air Force One on days it was scheduled to serve as the television pool representative; on Monday, Politico was excluded on its turn as the print pool representative.
The administration has defended the practice by arguing that general access to the White House complex differs from access to tight or enclosed spaces such as Air Force One. The Associated Press is separately pursuing a legal challenge over the same distinction after the administration tried last year to bar the wire service from certain locations.
Legal Next Steps
Monday's exclusion of Politico is expected to be added to the next legal filing by CNN, MS NOW and Politico. Judge Kelly is scheduled to hold a hearing on Thursday on the news organizations' request for a preliminary injunction, which, if granted, would extend court protection for press access pending a potential trial.
"The law is absolutely clear. The harm to our clients, the First Amendment, and the public as a whole is profound," said Ted Boutrous, attorney for the three outlets. "It is critical that the White House be enjoined from continuing this unconstitutional ban on the free press."
When asked last week whether the president was ignoring the court order, Trump replied that he was not. Communications Director Steven Cheung added: "The judge basically ordered them to renew their access back to the White House, but that's different than allowing the pool into the events in the Oval Office or on Air Force One." Cheung did not respond to requests for comment on Monday about the decision involving Politico.
President Trump was scheduled to travel to Nebraska for a campaign event Monday afternoon. With Politico excluded, the White House offered the publication's seat to other outlets that typically rotate through the out-of-town pool; several declined, according to sources. In an unusual move, the White House's Sunday-night guidance email to the press corps listed no outlets traveling with the president, suggesting Politico's seat was difficult to reassign.
This dispute highlights ongoing tensions between the administration and mainstream news organizations over press access and the scope of government authority to regulate journalists' physical presence in constrained presidential spaces.
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