Donald Trump’s White House escalated its confrontation with CNN on Wednesday, once again excluding the network from traveling with the president despite a looming deadline to respond to a threat of further legal action.
CNN chief media analyst Brian Stelter reported that the network had been left off the press pool list for Trump’s trip to South Carolina, even though it was the network’s scheduled turn to provide television coverage.
“The White House is at it again,” Stelter wrote on X, noting that the latest snub came just two days after CNN attorney Ted Boutrous warned the Justice Department that legal action would follow if the network continued to be excluded from Air Force One.
“Today is CNN’s turn to fulfill both in-town and out-of-town TV pool duties, but the White House press office left the network off the list for Trump’s trip to South Carolina,” Stelter said. “So as a result there will be no pooled TV coverage of the trip.”
The latest confrontation comes as CNN, MS NOW and Politico continue to battle the White House over restrictions on press action.
Boutrous, an attorney representing all three media organizations in their First Amendment lawsuit, warned the Justice Department that CNN would “be forced to pursue additional judicial relief” if its concerns were not addressed.
Stelter reported that Boutrous gave the administration until Thursday at 5 p.m. Eastern to respond.
Two days after @BoutrousTed sent a letter to the DOJ threatening further legal action if the White House keeps excluding CNN from Air Force One, the White House is at it again.Today is CNN’s turn to fulfill both in-town and out-of-town TV pool duties, but the White House press office left the network off the list for Trump’s trip to South Carolina, so as a result there will be no pooled TV coverage of the trip.Boutrous said in the letter that he needs to hear back from the administration by Thursday at 5 p.m. Eastern, or CNN “will be forced to pursue additional judicial relief…”
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 21, 2026