Mamdani Invites Banned Press to Trump Event

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani hosted President Donald Trump at Gracie Mansion on Monday, ensuring that all members of the press were present, a move that directly contrasted with President Trump's recent actions against news organizations. Mamdani stated his belief in press access, declaring, "I told the president that we're going to have all of the members of the press here on the lawn, and that is something that I believe in." This event occurred just days after President Trump announced a ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from White House grounds, citing "constant 'reporting' [of] FAKE NEWS." In response to this ban, the three outlets filed a joint First Amendment lawsuit in federal court in Washington D.C. on Monday morning. Their lawsuit argues that the ban constitutes viewpoint discrimination and violates their due-process rights. The ban also led to other networks refusing to provide White House pool coverage in solidarity, as CNN typically handles this rotation. This is not President Trump's first instance of barring news organizations. In 2018, the White House revoked the press pass of CNN reporter Jim Acosta, an action that was later overturned by a federal judge. More recently, in February 2025, the Associated Press was barred from the Oval Office and other small-pool events. This ban was reportedly due to the news agency's refusal to adopt the term "Gulf of America" instead of the widely accepted "Gulf of Mexico." While a judge initially ordered access restored for the AP, this decision was later overruled by the D.C. Circuit in June 2025. President Trump has a documented history of an antagonistic relationship with the press, having popularized the phrase "fake news" and referred to reporters as "the enemy of the people." Despite this, he has also granted reporters significant access, making media appearances on approximately 80% of his days in office during stretches of his second term and engaging in more shouted questions and interviews than his predecessors, Barack Obama and Joe Biden. This pattern highlights a contradiction in his approach: granting extraordinary access on his own terms while revoking it when coverage is unfavorable. The event at Gracie Mansion underscored this dynamic, with Mamdani actively facilitating access for outlets that had been excluded from White House events.