Sen. John Barrasso says Trump isn’t violating the Constitution by banning reporters from the White House

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., on Sunday downplayed concerns that President Donald Trump may have violated the Constitution Friday when reporters from Politico, MS NOW and CNN were banned from covering the White House. Asked directly if the president had violated the Constitution, Barrasso said, “No, I believe the press has an obligation to report fairly.” Pressed again on whether he agreed with Trump’s ban, Barrasso said, “We all respect and value the freedom of the press — it’s in the Constitution.” “He was banned from Twitter. He was banned from Facebook, and I didn’t see people come to his defense,” the Wyoming senator told NBC News’ “Meet the Press.” “So it goes both ways. The press has an obligation to report fairly, and the president doesn’t see it happening that way.” Pressed on whether the president’s decision to ban the reporters from White House coverage violated the First Amendment, Barrasso demurred, saying again, “I believe the press has an obligation to report fairly.” He added that he believes Trump’s decision to bar those outlets from the White House would not negatively affect Republicans running for office in the upcoming midterm elections. “The bottom line on all of this is: This is not going to have an impact on an election 44 days from now,” Barrasso said. “People are going to go to the voting booth. They’re going to make a decision based on their life, their future, what they believe is best for them and their families.” The president announced his decision to bar three outlets from the White House on Friday, writing in a post on Truth Social that he made the decision “as a result of their constant “reporting” FAKE NEWS!” The president also warned that “other outlets” could face similar action but did not name them. Trump added, “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.” Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office Friday, the president said it wasn’t one particular story that led to his decision, but “cumulative stories over the last few years.” On Saturday, journalists from the affected outlets sought to gain entry into the White House complex and reported that they were turned away at the security kiosk and their credentials were revoked. Spokespeople for Politico, MS NOW and CNN on Friday and Saturday pledged to continue covering the White House despite the bans. “POLITICO will continue to fairly report on this White House and future ones. We will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights against any attempt to restrict them,” the outlet’s press team wrote in a post on X. “We have a right under the U.S. Constitution to do our reporting without hinderance or interference from the government and this ban is an illegal assault on this fundamental right,” CNN said in a statement posted on X. The statement added, “We will not be deflected from our duty to hold the government and other public bodies to account, and we will continue to report on the actions and processes of this administration without fear or favor.” “MS NOW intends to take any and all steps necessary to defend our First Amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalists in our democracy,” the network said in their own statement. The White House Correspondents’ Association, a group that represents the coalition of news outlets and reporters that cover the White House, also denounced the move. “The Constitution protects the freedom of the press from government interference. That protection does not depend on whether the president likes a news organization’s coverage, agrees with its reporting, or approves of the questions its journalists ask,” Jacqui Heinrich, the group’s president, said in a statement. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., appeared after Barrasso on “Meet the Press,” and said the move to ban certain news outlets from the White House “clearly” violates the First Amendment. “It clearly does,” the New Jersey senator said. He added, “This president has no regard for the First Amendment. He’s going after reporters, and this ban just doubles down on that.” [Image text:] MEET THE PRESS