pic.twitter.com/beXOc0As0U— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 22, 2026The confrontation came days after the Trump administration barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, accusing them of biased coverage.
THREE OUTLETS BARRED FROM WHITE HOUSETrump’s remarks to Collins followed his decision on Friday to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House with immediate effect.
WHITE HOUSE LAUNCHES ‘TRUMP TV’Amid its latest escalation with the US media, the White House launched a round-the-clock streaming platform called “Trump TV: The Essentials Station".
Announcing the launch on X, the White House said the channel would bring together the administration’s major moments, announcements and latest developments.
Federal judges later ordered that their White House press passes be restored.
The long-running feud between US President Donald Trump and major American media organisations reached the United Nations headquarters on Tuesday when he confronted CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins and told her the network “should not be here”.
The exchange came shortly after Trump arrived in New York to address the UN General Assembly.
As he entered the headquarters, Collins asked Trump about Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine. “Settle the war,” Trump replied before turning his attention to her network.
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“I’m surprised that CNN is here covering me. You shouldn’t be here. You said you weren’t going to cover me,” Trump told Collins.
President Trump arrives at the UN General Assembly and is set to take the stage any minute! pic.twitter.com/beXOc0As0U— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 22, 2026
The confrontation came days after the Trump administration barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, accusing them of biased coverage.
The three organisations have since sued the administration, arguing that the restrictions violate their First Amendment rights.
THREE OUTLETS BARRED FROM WHITE HOUSE
Trump’s remarks to Collins followed his decision on Friday to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House with immediate effect.
“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 wrote on Truth Social.
Trump also targeted MS NOW, which recently changed its name from MSNBC. Without offering evidence, he claimed the network had changed its name because of a lack of viewership and credibility.
“Media outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report fiction and lies when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump administration, or the United States of America,” he said.
The restrictions raised questions over constitutional protections for freedom of speech and the press, prompting the three organisations to challenge the decision in court.
MEDIA ORGANISATIONS CHALLENGE BAN
CNN, MS NOW and Politico said on Monday that they had sued the Trump administration to protect their First Amendment rights, Reuters reported.
The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. According to CNN, emergency hearings could begin as early as this week.
CNN and MS NOW said they would continue covering the administration, while Politico stood by its White House reporters.
Other major news organisations also criticised the restrictions. The New York Times called the ban “yet another retaliatory and unconstitutional threat” and expressed support for the outlets targeted by Trump.
The Washington Post described White House access as a “non-negotiable constitutional right” and called the restrictions an attempt to intimidate news organisations and silence critical coverage.
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As the legal battle over media access began, the White House launched its own platform to carry Trump’s speeches and administration announcements directly to viewers.
WHITE HOUSE LAUNCHES ‘TRUMP TV’
Amid its latest escalation with the US media, the White House launched a round-the-clock streaming platform called “Trump TV: The Essentials Station".
The service carries Trump’s speeches, administration announcements and footage from his previous public appearances. Its livestream is updated in real time.
Announcing the launch on X, the White House said the channel would bring together the administration’s major moments, announcements and latest developments.
It also claimed that some important presidential events had not received television coverage and presented Trump TV as a way for viewers to watch them directly.
TRUMP’S LONG-RUNNING CLASH WITH MEDIA
The latest confrontation follows a pattern of Trump targeting journalists and news organisations over coverage critical of him and his administration.
Since returning to the presidency in January 2025, Trump has also called on the Federal Communications Commission to act against some broadcasters.
Last year, he barred the Associated Press from the regular White House press pool after the agency declined to use his preferred term “Gulf of America” for the Gulf of Mexico. The AP challenged the restriction.
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During his first term, the White House moved to revoke or suspend the credentials of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta and Playboy correspondent Brian Karem. Federal judges later ordered that their White House press passes be restored.
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