U.S. President Donald Trump’s move to ban reporters from CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO from the White House is the latest flashpoint in his clashes with the press. 

CNN media analyst Brian Stelter called Trump’s action “a direct threat to press freedom in the United States.”

“It’s so much bigger than CNN,” he said. “This is a free speech test in America.”

Penn State University professor Amy Kristin Sanders said Trump is not interested in upholding the country’s right to freedom of the press.

“It is not an exaggeration to say his hostile actions toward news organizations and individual reporters have a chilling effect on freedom of expression around the world,” Sanders said. 

The move is part of a broader pattern of confrontations between Trump’s administration and news organizations, including legal disputes and restrictions involving The Associated Press, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other outlets.

— Three senior Stars and Stripes staff were removed from their positions by the U.S. Department of Defense, prompting concerns about the newspaper’s editorial independence. 

— Black women journalists have raised concerns about attacks on the press under Trump, noting that personal attacks and public criticism of journalists can undermine their ability to hold government officials accountable. During the Charles Ogletree Public Forum Series, they called for stronger media literacy, greater support for independent journalism and continued efforts to protect journalists’ ability to question those in power.