The White House has blocked a reporter from Politico from joining the presidential travel pool on Air Force One, effectively preventing the news organization from carrying out its designated duties. A spokesperson for the publication confirmed that it was excluded from the out-of-town travel pool, a limited cohort of journalists tasked with accompanying the president on trips.
This development follows President Donald Trump’s September 18 announcement that he was placing a ban on Politico,, and MS NOW from the White House. Legal experts have widely described the move as unconstitutional, and the affected outlets filed a lawsuit on September 21 alleging that the administration’s actions violate both the First and Fifth Amendments. Following the filing, Judge Timothy J. Kelly issued a temporary restraining order mandating that the administration restore press credentials to the journalists.
Despite the court’s intervention, the administration has repeatedly restricted access to Air Force One on days when was scheduled to represent the TV pool. By barring Politico on the day it was assigned as the print pool representative, the White House has extended these limitations further. The administration maintains a distinction between access to the broader White House complex and access to confined spaces like Air Force One, a point of contention also currently under legal challenge by the Associated Press.
Attorney Ted Boutrous, who represents the three news outlets, characterized the ongoing restrictions as a profound constitutional violation. In a formal statement, Boutrous asserted that the law remains clear and emphasized that the court must intervene to prevent this unconstitutional suppression of the press. The incident is expected to be formally integrated into the upcoming legal filings of the plaintiffs. Judge Kelly is slated to preside over a hearing this Thursday to consider a preliminary injunction that would secure long-term press access ahead of a potential trial.
The White House has sought to mitigate the impact of the exclusion by offering the vacant seat to other news organizations, though several outlets have reportedly declined the invitation. In an unusual departure from standard procedure, the White House’s Sunday night press guidance failed to list any news organizations accompanying the president, suggesting significant difficulty in filling the Politico slot.
When questioned by TIME reporters last week regarding whether the president intended to ignore the standing court order, Trump denied the allegation. Communications director Steven Cheung added that while the judge had ordered the reinstatement of White House access, that requirement did not extend to allowing pool coverage of events in the Oval Office or aboard Air Force One. Cheung did not provide further comments on Monday regarding the exclusion of Politico as the president prepared to depart for a campaign event in Nebraska. Cheung did not respond to a request for comment on Monday about the action against Politico.