Donald Trump Claims He 'Loves an Open, Free Press' Amid Media Ban As He Tells MS NOW Reporter to Be 'Quiet'
Donald Trump has defended his treatment of the media.
Sept. 26 2026, Updated 2:49 p.m. ET
Donald Trump defended his treatment of the media while insisting he supports a "free press," RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The president made the claim during a tense exchange with MS NOW White House reporter Akayla Gardner as questions mounted over his administration's restrictions.
Donald Trump Defends His View Of The Press
Donald Trump claimed he 'loves an open, free press.'
Gardner questioned Trump about his decision to keep CNN from covering his travel after the network was excluded from the presidential press pool, per Mediaite.
"Do you only want outlets that support you to be a part of the press pool?" Gardner asked.
"No, no, no. I want real news, not fake news — like you. I want-," Trump explained.
"Listen. I want real news. I love an open, free press. What I don't like is the fake press where a group like CNN, few people watch it, or MSDNC, which they changed I guess to NOW. But, you know why they changed it? Because their ratings are so bad. What I don't like-" he went on.
Gardner then pressed him, asking, "Do you not want tough questions, sir?"
Donald Trump Tells Reporter To Be 'Quiet'
Donald Trump told MS NOW reporter Akayla Gardner to 'quiet' as she pressed him about whether he wants tough questions from reporters.
Trump responded by cutting Gardner off.
"Wait, wait. Quiet. What I- what I don't like is fake news. And they're fake news. 100%. In two years—" he said.
"Do you not want tough questions, sir?" Gardner asked again.
"In two years, I doubt they did one good story. And I won the election in a landslide. So what we don't want is we don't want fake news," Trump replied.
CNN Barred From Covering Donald Trump's Departure
Donald Trump excluded CNN from covering his departure to Tennessee on September 26.
The exchange came as CNN was excluded from covering Trump's departure from Washington.
LindellTV, owned by Trump ally Mike Lindell, and Real America's Voices were instead designated as the secondary television pool for the president's trip.
Gardner later explained the situation to MS NOW host Jacob Soboroff.
"I asked him if he only wants outlets that support him to be a part of the press pool. And today, LindellTV and Real America's Voices, two outlets that are very much aligned with the president's vision, are the designated TV pool for today, as in the secondary TV pool," Gardner said.
"So the primary TV pool is this pool of the five networks: ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, and CNN. And they did not cover today's departure because of the fact that CNN is being barred from covering the president's travel today," she added.
Donald Trump's Media Fight Continues
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A judge ordered the White House to allow the media outlets back in.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico challenged the administration's restrictions in court after their reporters' credentials were disabled.
A judge ordered the administration to restore their White House access.
Soboroff criticized Trump's comments after Gardner recounted the exchange.
"It is incredibly childish behavior and completely ridiculous to say both he wants an open and free press and then point at you point other reporters and bar CNN from being on his plane today," he said.
