The long-running conflict between US President Donald Trump and major American media organisations spilled into the United Nations headquarters on Tuesday, when he confronted CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins and told her that the network “should not be here”.
The exchange took place shortly after Trump arrived in New York to deliver his address to the UN General Assembly.
As Trump entered the UN headquarters, Collins asked him about Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine. “Settle the war,” Trump replied before directing his attention to CNN.
“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.
The confrontation came just days after the Trump administration barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, accusing the organisations of biased reporting.
The three media organisations have since taken legal action against the administration, arguing that the restrictions violate their First Amendment rights.
THREE OUTLETS BARRED FROM WHITE HOUSE
Trump’s exchange with Collins followed his decision on Friday to immediately bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.
“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 said in a post on Truth Social.
He also criticised MS NOW, which recently changed its name from MSNBC. Without providing evidence, Trump claimed that the network had rebranded because of declining 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 move triggered questions over constitutional protections for freedom of speech and the press, with the three organisations subsequently challenging the administration’s decision in court.
MEDIA ORGANISATIONS CHALLENGE BAN
CNN, MS NOW and Politico said on Monday that they had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in defence of their First Amendment rights, Reuters reported.
The case was filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, with CNN saying emergency hearings could begin as early as this week.
CNN and MS NOW said they would continue reporting on the administration, while Politico said it would maintain its White House coverage through its reporters.
Other major news organisations also criticised the restrictions. The New York Times described the ban as “yet another retaliatory and unconstitutional threat” and expressed support for the organisations affected.
The Washington Post called access to the White House a “non-negotiable constitutional right” and characterised the restrictions as an effort to intimidate media organisations and suppress critical reporting.
While the dispute over press access moved to the courts, the White House also introduced its own platform to broadcast Trump’s speeches and administration announcements directly to audiences.
WHITE HOUSE LAUNCHES ‘TRUMP TV’
Amid the latest dispute between the administration and US media outlets, the White House launched a 24-hour streaming service called “Trump TV: The Essentials Station”.
The platform broadcasts Trump’s speeches, announcements from the administration and footage from his earlier public appearances. Its livestream is updated continuously.
In a post on X announcing the service, the White House said the channel would bring together major moments, announcements and developments from the administration.
The White House also claimed that some significant presidential events had not received television coverage and promoted Trump TV as a direct way for viewers to watch such events.
TRUMP’S LONG-RUNNING CLASH WITH MEDIA
The latest confrontation is part of a broader pattern in which Trump has criticised journalists and media organisations over coverage of him and his administration.
Since returning to the presidency in January 2025, Trump has also urged the Federal Communications Commission to take action against certain broadcasters.
Last year, he excluded the Associated Press from the regular White House press pool after the agency declined to adopt his preferred name, “Gulf of America”, for the Gulf of Mexico. The AP subsequently challenged the restriction.
During Trump’s first term, the White House also 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 credentials be reinstated.
