MS NOW lost on-site access to the White House Saturday when multiple press credentials stopped working at the security checkpoint, preventing the network from reporting from positions inside the compound. The disruption followed a Friday statement by President Donald Trump that named CNN and Politico as outlets he would deny access to the White House grounds, part of a wider expression of displeasure with media coverage.
Correspondent Akayla Gardner said her badge failed to register at the magnetometers, and a photographer’s credential also would not work while a producer’s did, creating immediate confusion at the entrance. Gardner described the moment at the security screening, saying, “When I was inside where we have magnetometers, I attempted to scan my badge, which we have to do to get into the White House grounds. It did not work.” She added that an officer saw a red beeping light, asked for her badge and told her the credential had been disabled, and that the reason for that decision was beyond his authority.
An MS NOW spokesperson framed the exclusion as an attack on the press, saying the White House “belongs to the American people” and declaring the network will “take any and all steps necessary to defend our First Amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalism in our democracy.” The spokesperson also said MS NOW will continue reporting on the president and the administration despite the restriction.
Credentialed reporters typically use areas inside the security perimeter for live hits and on-the-record reporting, including the space known as Pebble Beach and briefing facilities within the West Wing such as the Brady Briefing Room. With its badges disabled, MS NOW said it cannot enter those positions for live broadcasts or on-the-record coverage from inside the grounds, at least for the time being, while other outlets continue to work from those same locations.
MS NOW’s intention to contest the action signals the start of a legal and political dispute over access rules. The next developments will hinge on whether the White House moves to formalize restrictions for additional outlets after the president’s Friday comments, and on the specific steps MS NOW pursues to restore its credentials and challenge the administration’s decision.
