White House removes Politico from press pool for Trump’s trip to Nebraska

The White House barred Politico on Monday from joining the press pool traveling aboard Air Force One for President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Nebraska, marking the latest escalation in an ongoing clash over media access.

A White House official defended the restriction, stating that while many publications can cover presidential appearances unilaterally, flying on the presidential aircraft is a privilege rather than an entitlement. Dana Beckman, a representative for Politico, verified the outlet's exclusion from the travel delegation but offered no additional comment.

The decision arrives amidst a wider legal confrontation between the administration and multiple news organizations. Last month, the executive branch barred Politico, CNN, and MS NOW from White House grounds after Trump criticized their coverage on Truth Social. In response, the three organizations filed a lawsuit challenging the restrictions. While a federal judge issued an order directing the administration to temporarily reinstate their access, that ruling applied exclusively to the White House complex itself.

Excluding Politico mirrors an action taken the prior week, when the administration removed CNN from the media pool assigned to document Trump’s travel through Texas and Oklahoma. The press pool arrangement allows a rotating contingent of journalists to accompany the president, chronicle activities, and distribute notes and footage across the broader press corps to lower overall expenses and ensure continuous public visibility.

Politico had been scheduled to fulfill print pool obligations on Monday. According to pool correspondence circulated by CBS News, which oversaw television coverage for the day, the administration did not locate a substitute organization to take Politico's spot. CBS News indicated it would deliver its internal television notes to the White House Correspondents’ Association while clarifying it was not assuming print duties.

The broader journalistic community has pushed back against the administration's actions. When CNN faced initial venue prohibitions last month, television network peers—including ABC News, CBS News, Fox News, and NBC News—stood down from assigned pool responsibilities in a demonstration of support. Furthermore, nearly fifty media entities, along with the White House Correspondents’ Association and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, submitted an amicus brief backing the lawsuit brought by CNN, MS NOW, and Politico.