Mamdani tells Trump banned White House outlets are welcome at NYC meeting

 

New York, United States (Opinion): New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani directly confronted U.S. President Donald Trump over the administration's recent decision to bar several major media outlets from White House grounds, making clear that all journalists remain welcome to cover public proceedings in New York. The exchange occurred during a bilateral summit at Gracie Mansion on Monday, held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

Addressing reporters on the lawn of the mayoral residence following their closed-door discussions, Mamdani confirmed that he explicitly raised the issue of media credentials with the president. "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, as everyone, no matter the opinion or the critique, that we engage," Mamdani stated. Representatives from the barred outlets—including CNN, MS NOW, and Politico—were granted full access to cover the press conference from the municipal grounds.

The dispute over press access escalated late last week when the White House revoked credentials and pool access for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, accusing them of unfair reporting. In response, major television networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox News, suspended joint television pool coverage of presidential movements in solidarity.
The three affected news organizations have since filed a joint federal lawsuit in Washington challenging the bans on First Amendment and Fifth Amendment due process grounds.

Standing alongside Mamdani, President Trump defended the restrictions, asserting that access to the White House remains a privilege contingent on balanced reporting. Trump dismissed the network pool boycott, characterizing the excluded outlets as "fake news" and asserting an executive obligation to maintain access standards.

Despite their sharp divergence over First Amendment protocols, both leaders noted that their third formal meeting touched on pragmatic municipal issues, including urban housing development and federal assistance for New York City. However, Mamdani's decision to host banned journalists at Gracie Mansion highlights a growing constitutional friction between federal press restrictions and municipal commitments to open government access.