# Is it unconstitutional for Trump to ban some reporters? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 27, 2018, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-unconstitutional-for-trump-to-ban-some-reporters/818710 "2018-07-27T23:25:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-unconstitutional-for-trump-to-ban-some-reporters/818710/141 "2019-07-14T13:30:24Z")
Perhaps we just need to elect a President that does not make official government decrees on a social network that was originally set up for pre-teens to connect with the latest Hollywood heart throb. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-unconstitutional-for-trump-to-ban-some-reporters/818710/142 "2019-07-14T13:43:23Z")
I don’t know if this news article ever got cited: [Donald Trump’s Twitter Mentor Likens First Tweet To Terrifying ‘Jurassic Park’ Moment](https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/donald-trump-twitter-manager-jurassic-park_n_5c1ccb6ae4b05c88b6f73f05) > [@](#): > > The man who Donald Trump used to dictate his tweets to revealed his unsettling feeling when he realized Trump had figured out how to use Twitter all by himself. > > “The moment I found out Trump could tweet himself was comparable to the moment in ‘Jurassic Park’ when Dr. Grant realized that velociraptors could open doors,” Justin McConney told Politico in an interview published Thursday. > > “I was like, ‘Oh no,’” he added. ---
**Author:** ![Sdowiat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Sdowiat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sdowiat)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-unconstitutional-for-trump-to-ban-some-reporters/818710/143 "2020-04-15T19:17:48Z")
Naaahhh… No more unconstitutional than the reporters constant wrong premise and Gotcha Questions. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-unconstitutional-for-trump-to-ban-some-reporters/818710/144 "2020-04-15T19:21:46Z")
> [@Sdowiat](#): > > Naaahhh… No more unconstitutional than the reporters constant wrong premise and Gotcha Questions. Which section of the constitution covers wrong premises and gotcha questions? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2020, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-unconstitutional-for-trump-to-ban-some-reporters/818710/145 "2020-04-15T19:28:17Z")
> [@Sdowiat](#): > > Naaahhh… No more unconstitutional than the reporters constant wrong premise and Gotcha Questions. Show where in the Constitution that comes up. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-unconstitutional-for-trump-to-ban-some-reporters/818710/146 "2020-04-16T01:43:12Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Show where in the Constitution that comes up. “Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press…” That’s the only occurrence of the word FREEDOM in the Constitution. We, the People, and “the press”, have the freedom to say and ask whatever the fuck pops up. Have courts ruled that Executive Orders may kill that explicit freedom? Legislation imposes limits on certain intentionally false speech. And speech can have repercussions - cf hate speech. Is it unconstitutional for Trump to ban some reporters? No, but bad optics. Even a retarded koala might figure out that it looks better to let hostiles in and just ignore them or prepare clever replies. Our inexperienced POTUS misses old political tricks. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-unconstitutional-for-trump-to-ban-some-reporters/818710/147 "2020-04-16T01:46:26Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Show where in the Constitution that comes up. “Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press…” That’s the only occurrence of the word FREEDOM in the Constitution. We, the People, and “the press”, have the freedom to say and ask whatever the fuck pops up. Have courts ruled that Executive Orders may kill that explicit freedom? Legislation imposes limits on certain intentionally false speech. And speech can have repercussions - cf hate speech. Is it unconstitutional for Trump to ban some reporters? No, but bad optics. Even a sleepy koala might figure out that it looks better to let hostiles in and just ignore them or prepare clever replies. Our inexperienced POTUS misses old political tricks. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-unconstitutional-for-trump-to-ban-some-reporters/818710/148 "2020-04-16T01:54:05Z")
Sorry for the almost-dupe, as I tried to fix the first - I ask Mods for the first post to be removed. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2025, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-unconstitutional-for-trump-to-ban-some-reporters/818710/150 "2025-02-26T13:44:46Z")
Raising this zombie to say that the Trump administration is discarding the longstanding tradition of allowing the White House Correspondents’ Association to determine who comprises the press pool covering the White House. In particular, they are choosing to exclude the Associated Press explicitly because it refuses to rename the Gulf of Mexico in its coverage to its global audience. I haven’t heard that the AP or the WHCA will sue but I think there is a very good chance one or the other will. [https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/25/trump-white-house-press-pool-access-00206001](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/25/trump-white-house-press-pool-access-00206001) ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-unconstitutional-for-trump-to-ban-some-reporters/818710/151 "2025-02-27T12:10:08Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I don’t know if this news article ever got cited: [Donald Trump’s Twitter Mentor Likens First Tweet To Terrifying ‘Jurassic Park’ Moment](https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/donald-trump-twitter-manager-jurassic-park_n_5c1ccb6ae4b05c88b6f73f05) > > The man who Donald Trump used to dictate his tweets to revealed his unsettling feeling when he realized Trump had figured out how to use Twitter all by himself. Hahahah. Sort of like seeing an angry 5 year old with a loaded gun. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-unconstitutional-for-trump-to-ban-some-reporters/818710/152 "2025-02-27T15:10:20Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > The lines between reporters and “protestors” get blurred however. Which “first-amendment auditors” use to be obnoxious. The harass government workers then claim that they are doing a story and cry out, “Freedom of the press!” ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-unconstitutional-for-trump-to-ban-some-reporters/818710/153 "2025-02-28T11:49:54Z")
I think this is first amendment related… A few years back there was a ‘movement’ or group that said since a government building is technically public property, they could come in a sit in your office if they so chose to do so. They could film anywhere in the building. They could be anywhere in the building. They where pushing the limits, and no one was quite sure just how far they could push. Basically, they where intrusive pests. This never actually happened to me though I heard about it. So, up went the restricted area signs, door locks and bullet proof glass. ID badges that must be worn at all times. In came the sheriffs deputies. A lot of this had to do with people not understanding how home valuation/taxes work. Lots of pissed off people. They mostly wanted to harass government employees that where just doing their jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2026, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-unconstitutional-for-trump-to-ban-some-reporters/818710/154 "2026-09-24T14:24:29Z")
I am once again zombifying this thread because Trump shitting on the Constitution is evergreen. The administration was ordered by a federal district court to restore access to the White House for credentialed journalists from Politico, CNN, and MS Now. > **[Judge restores White House access for POLITICO, CNN and MS NOW](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/24/white-house-access-media-ban-ruling-01091226)** > > U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the return of press credentials President Donald Trump had revoked. The order is rooted in the denial of due process to the journalists. That is, they were denied an opportunity to be heard before their credentials were terminated. The holding is not technically based on the journalists’ first amendment rights. > **[gov.uscourts.dcd.296754.24.0\_1.pdf](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.296754/gov.uscourts.dcd.296754.24.0_1.pdf)** > > 181.25 KB As I write this, the White House is not complying with the order. [https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/24/politico-barred-from-white-house-after-court-ruling-restoring-access-01091263](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/24/politico-barred-from-white-house-after-court-ruling-restoring-access-01091263) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2026, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-unconstitutional-for-trump-to-ban-some-reporters/818710/155 "2026-09-24T18:17:03Z")
Use of 5th Amendment due process or 14th Amendment equal protection (another fave, usually related) is a much less blunt and more targeted approach. The 1st Amendment is big and full of subjective spaces, and seems to represent the final recourse. Injustice seems to be easier to attack on procedural grounds. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-unconstitutional-for-trump-to-ban-some-reporters/818710.md?page=7)