While holidaying in Los Angeles, they stumbled across an Emmy Awards pre-party days before the Sons of Anarchy actor’s latest Netflix release.
TikTok creators Nathan and Grace, who post as @nathanandgrace, shared footage of the chance encounter after spotting Newcastle-born actor Charlie Hunnam leaving a Netflix pre-Emmy party.
The duo, who boast over one million followers, couldn’t believe they managed to spark a conversation about their shared North East roots.
TikTok creators Nathan and Grace met fellow Geordie Charlie Hunnam just days before his premiere in the latest season of Netflix’s hit true-crime anthology series, Monster. (Image: @nathanandgrace / TIKTOK)
Speaking to the actor, Grace said: “I’m a fellow Geordie!”
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Hunnam asked: “Where did you grow up?”
When Grace said she was from North Shields, Hunnam replied: “Love it. I was just back there for like two weeks in February.”
Grace then told the Hollywood star: “You’re doing amazing.”
The chance meeting came just days before the release of Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story – the latest instalment in Netflix’s hit true-crime anthology series.
The series premiered on Thursday (September 17) and stars Charlie Hunnam as Andrew Borden, the father of accused axe murderer Lizzie Borden.
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The eight-part drama explores the infamous 1892 Massachusetts murders of Lizzie Borden’s father and stepmother, for which she was accused but acquitted.
The role marks Hunnam’s return to the Monster franchise after he played serial killer Ed Gein in Monster: The Ed Gein Story last year, earning widespread praise.
Charlie Hunnam Portraying Ed Gein in the last season of ‘Monsters’ (Image: Netflix, Inc)
Hunnam continues to put the North East on the map as one of its most successful acting exports.
Charlie Hunnam visited the Commissioner’s Quay in Blyth back in February. (Image: Commissioner’s Quay)
Charlie Hunnam visited a Malaysian restaurant in Durham back in January. (Image: Chilli Padi)
Born in Newcastle, Hunnam found fame in children’s drama Byker Grove before starring in Queer as Folk, Sons of Anarchy, Pacific Rim, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and The Gentlemen.
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The 40-year-old has spoken warmly about returning home, making his conversation with the North Shields creators especially memorable.
The TikTok video has attracted thousands of views over the last two days, capturing the unexpected meeting between two Geordies thousands of miles from home as Hunnam showcases his latest major Netflix role.
Speaking about an alleged row over Diana’s funeral arrangements involving her sons, the earl said: “(The King) went ballistic, would be the right term, and started really going for my family as a whole, about their sense of duty, not being adequate enough, and ranted for a while, I have no idea how long, but it was a significant period, and I just listened.
Cops have implemented a second dispersal zone ahead of the first east London derby match in 14 years as Millwall host West Ham and The Den on Saturday lunchtime
A second ‘dispersal zone’ has been announced by police in connection to the Millwall vs West Ham east London football derby match on Saturday.
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The two east London clubs are due to meet at Millwall’s home of the Den for the first time since 2012 at 12:30pm on Saturday (September 19). In the days leading up to the notorious game, two police forces have implemented dispersal orders for the match.
Metropolitan Police chiefs declared a section 35 dispersal order is around the Bermondsey stadium and nearby neighbourhoods. This order grants police the authority to instruct people to vacate a public area within a specified zone.
“As with any fixture, the Sporting Events Act 1985 is in place, which means entering or attempting to enter a ground while intoxicated is strictly prohibited,” said the Met. “A Section 35 dispersal order will also be in place, allowing officers to remove anyone causing disorder.”
Now, City of London Police have implemented a second section 35 order, covering the Square Mile and several bridges spanning the Thames.
A spokesperson for City of London Police said: “To assist the policing operation around the Millwall v West Ham match, from 8am today, we’re putting a S35 order in place.
“If someone is contributing to crime, disorder or anti-social behaviour, they can be told to leave and not return for a specified period. It lasts until 8pm.”
Saturday’s match marks the first time the two clubs have met in 14 years, and it signifies the 100th competitive match between the east London rivals. West Ham enter the derby as favourites.
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Following their relegation from the Premier League last term, the Hammers lead the early Championship standings. Millwall, who were defeated in the play-off semi-finals last campaign, presently occupy twelfth place after just seven fixtures.
Strangford Integrated College vice-principal Rory O’Connor is rowing from Carrickfergus to Portpatrick in Scotland
19:35, 18 Sep 2026Updated 19:46, 18 Sep 2026
A Belfast dad will be attempting to break a world record by rowing from Northern Ireland to Scotland in support of a neo-natal unit that saved his son’s life.
Rory and Victoria O’Connor’s son Patrick was born four weeks prematurely in June and developed respiratory distress syndrome, requiring a week of specialist care in the Ulster Hospital Neo-Natal Unit. The parents said it was a terrifying time for them but Patrick is now home with his mum, dad and big sister Mollie and thriving thanks to the care he received.
Rory said: “When Patrick was born, he was quite unwell. He was struggling to breathe and spent time in the Neo Natal Unit. The care and compassion he, as well as my wife Victoria, received was unbelievable. It really blew me away. They saved Patrick’s life.”
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“I remember coming home and saying to Victoria, ‘We need to give something back’.”
As a way of saying thank you to the neo-natal unit, Rory, who is an international rower and vice-principal of Strangford Integrated College, will be rowing from Carrickfergus to Portpatrick in Scotland. He will be aiming to beat the world record in the 22-mile solo row, which stands at three hours and 35 minutes and was set in 1997 by Belfast man John Murray.
Rory said his passion for rowing provided the perfect opportunity to raise funds and give something back to the team who cared for his son, “Given my background in rowing, I thought it was a perfect vehicle to use to fundraise and ultimately give back to the Neo Natal Unit.
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“I am hoping to break the current world record of three hours and 35 minutes. I am now waiting for the right weather window to complete the challenge.”
With Patrick now very much settled at home with mum dad and big sister Mollie, Rory reflected on how emotional it was coming back to the Neo Natal Unit to meet with staff ahead of his rowing challenge.
Rory added, “Coming back and being on the ward, seeing the discharge bell and the staff, it was bringing it all back. We spent ten days here and I know it can be a relatively short period of time, but it felt like a lifetime when we were in here.
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“As a family we are just so grateful for all the help that Patrick received. I have set up a Go Fund page and friends, family, members from the rowing club have all got behind me and the family to support me in my training. I am just waiting for the right weather window to complete it.
“All funds raised from the row, minus the boat safety costs, will go directly to the Ulster Hospital Neo Natal Unit. We cannot thank the staff enough.”
Neo Natal Sister Gemma Cummins stated, “It is such a generous donation that Rory is going to provide for us. It means a lot to us and will enable us to enhance our care and experience to families that are already going through their own Neo Natal journey and for the families to come.
“It is really touching, for our staff, to see how Rory and Victoria are still thinking of us. It really is so meaningful for us as a Team and we want to wish Rory the very best as he prepares to undertake his challenge!”
This is the couple’s second child – they adopted their daughter in 2025.
The news follows a post that some believed showed early footage of the infant.
On September 7, the actor shared a video in which she was holding her daughter. Husband Jake, meanwhile, was seen walking beside her with a baby carrier, though viewers couldn’t see if there was a child in it.
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“This was the telling picture. Jake with the baby carrier in front,” an Instagram user has since commented under the post.
Last year, Millie and Jake informed their millions of followers that they had adopted a baby earlier in 2025.
“This summer, we welcomed our sweet baby girl through adoption,” the couple announced at the time in a joint statement. “We are beyond excited to embark on this beautiful next chapter of parenthood in both peace and privacy.”
Speaking on the podcast Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce last year, the Enola Holmes star shared that she’d “always” wanted to adopt – “It was always part of my childhood dreams”.
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She added, “Adoption is love, adoption is forever”.
Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission – learn more
From fun fur to new-season checks, you can pick up an on-trend piece with your weekly shop, as shown here by Hannah Skelley. Groceries optional
Jacket, £35, and jeans, £22, Nutmeg, Morrisons in store. T-shirt, £6, and shoes, £18, tuclothing. sainsburys.co.uk. Jewellery worn throughout, Hannah’s own
The UK government is deciding whether to approve a licence for Jackdaw gasfield, around 250km east of Aberdeen, in the North Sea. This is being presented by supporters as part of the answer to Britain’s energy-security problem. The UK government has argued that if Britain still needs gas, then producing it domestically is preferable to imports.
But there is a fundamental problem with treating new gas production as an answer to long-term energy needs especially when there are other enduring ways to use the North Sea to reduce bills, increase energy security and create jobs in the emerging sector of clean energy storage.
So what role should the North Sea play as the UK moves away from extractive fossil fuels across electricity, transport, manufacturing and heating?
Gas is not a future fuel. Climate science means Britain needs to reduce natural gas use (a fossil fuel that’s extracted from deep underground, often beneath the seabed) this decade. The atmosphere does not distinguish between CO₂ emitted from gas produced in the North Sea and CO₂ emitted from imported gas. All greenhouse gas emissions contribute to climate change.
Five years on, the invasion of Ukraine and its impact on European gas prices has strengthened calls to develop new oil and gas fields. Equally, the treasury will no doubt welcome new income, although the scale of production and revenues seen in the 1980s are unlikely.
One of the arguments for is that additional production of gas from UK fields could help make the energy transition more manageable. Also, in Jackdaw’s favour is that is it at an advanced stage; it should have lower emissions than imported gas; and it could provide short-term resilience while Britain reduces its gas dependence.
However, the emissions from it are incompatible with UK climate objectives. If Jackdaw is to be developed, we need to recognise that climate change impacts may put a short shelf life on it. Atmospheric CO₂ concentrations are now greater than 420 parts per million (ppm), compared to around 320ppm when the decision was made to extract from the North Sea in the late 1960s. The past decade was the hottest ever measured and climate-linked disasters such as the glacial collapse in Nepal-Tibet are becoming more acute.
Arguments favouring Jackdaw share a short-term perspective. However, there are more strategic uses for the oil and gas infrastructure that we should be unlocking instead.
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Offshore wind is a greener source of energy than the extraction of natural gas. Jacopo Landi/Shutterstock
The need for seasonal energy storage is as important today as it was in the past. Britain’s fossil fuel system depended heavily on storage. Coal was stockpiled and gas was stored in pipelines and underground geological formations. Storage of fuel (high or low carbon) can stabilise energy prices. This in turn reduces the costs of risk that are shouldered by customers.
A renewable energy system will also need storage. Batteries will play a role, but they are primarily suited to balancing electricity over hours and days. They cannot yet replace the seasonal energy storage historically provided by stocks of coal, oil and gas. Fortunately, Britain has an unusual strategic advantage: it has already built much of the offshore infrastructure and developed the geological, engineering and technical expertise needed to develop large-scale energy storage.
The North and Irish Seas contain depleted oil and gas fields that could become enormous stores of low-carbon energy. Surplus renewable electricity can be converted into low-carbon fuels such as hydrogen and stored underground for months before being used when energy demand is high. Our recent research found that repurposing the UK’s most suitable oil and gasfields could provide several thousand TWh of energy storage.
The strategic question is no longer how much more fossil fuel can be extracted from the North Sea. It is how the geology, infrastructure and engineering expertise created by the oil and gas industry can be repurposed for a low-carbon and energy-secure system. Instead of extracting fossil energy from geological structures, the UK could use them to store energy produced from renewable energy.
The government’s Department for Energy and Net Zero (DESNZ) must look beyond individual licensing decisions and develop a strategic plan for the North Sea’s role in Britain’s post-gas energy system. Allowing arguments about individual gas fields to dominate energy debates misses the opportunity. A greener energy system would make those fields unnecessary, while creating new skilled and future-proofed jobs for oil workers and enhancing energy security for the UK and Europe.
A key next step will be to work with academics and industry to identify which depleted fields are best placed to provide large-scale energy storage and releasing licenses for developers to repurpose that North Sea infrastructure for storing low-carbon energy. Rather than simply managing the decline of oil and gas industries, we must use their geological and infrastructure expertise to build the energy system that replaces it.
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Does a bigger price tag mean better quality? Not necessarily, says fashion stylist Jessica Carroll. These are the pieces that you should always invest in…and the ones where you can save your pennies.
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Yes, £600 for a bag is a lot. However, a timeless style made by craftspeople (like this Aspinal tote) will stay with you for ever, so it’s worth the investment. Also, plastic bags become tatty over time, but real leather looks cooler the more worn in it gets.
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As one of the hardest workers in our wardrobe, trainers take a battering and, unlike other shoes, can’t usually be resoled, no matter how much they cost. That’s why these affordable Miu Miu dupes should go straight in your basket during your next food shop.
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White T-shirts aren’t boring. In fact, if you invest in a good quality piece it can instantly elevate an outfit. YOU’s fashion director Sophie Dearden-Howell swears by the thick cotton and boxy cut of this Cos design.
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What’s the longest you have gone without scratching, breaking or losing a pair of sunglasses? For me, it’s a couple of months. When you can get on-trend and affordable options (with UV protection!) for under £60, there’s no point buying designer.
Cheap denim with designer clout? Easy. For that quality feel, choose styles with a high cotton content, and go for a dark wash, which looks more expensive.
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Nothing elevates a look like a chic belt and a decent leather one won’t bankrupt you. This piece is a dupe for Déhanche’s viral style.
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For shapewear guaranteed to boost your outfit and confidence, too, it has to be the OG Skims. Three words: worth every penny.
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Not just warmer and more breathable than polyester, a wool coat has a more structured finish. It’s also one item that really shows when it has cost a lot of money.
With gold beyond most of our budgets (hello, over £3,000 an ounce), the savvy money is on pieces made with PVD plating, which don’t tarnish and look just as expensive as the real deal.
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A forever dress can be styled up or down for any occasion. Although this one is purse friendly, the right dress is always worth splurging on.
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We can’t lie, great-fitting kit is one of the gym’s biggest motivators. In other words, sack those saggy trackie bottoms.
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You could spend hundreds on designer loafers and they would probably only last as long as this well-priced 100 per cent leather pair by M&S.
A Barbour-inspired wax-look jacket for under £50? Unheard of! Plus, unlike the original, this one’s washable so will stay looking its best no matter what.
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Ankle boots in a neutral colour with a comfy kitten heel never go out of style, making a quality pair an investment piece.
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A cashmere knit that costs £800 still won’t be bobble-proof or moth-resistant. So get this cult high-street one instead.
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The right glasses will take an outfit from bland to fashion-forward. And, when you’re sporting them every day, their cost per wear is extremely low, meaning a stylish pair is actually a snip.
The United States has permanent control over security in Greenland, Mr Trump says
22:47, 18 Sep 2026Updated 23:09, 18 Sep 2026
President Donald Trump has announced complete and permanent American security control over Greenland, the White House confirmed.
In 2019, during his first presidency, Trump expressed his desire for the US to purchase Greenland and made an offer but was told it was not for sale.
It was then that Vice-President JD Vance visited Greenland in March last year, and gave a speech accusing Denmark of failing to invest enough to protect the territory.
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Greenland’s location makes it well placed for early warning systems in the event of missile attacks, as well as being opportunistic for monitoring vessels in the region.
The US already has a permanent space force base in the Danish territory, and previously had other military sites throughout the island, many of which have since become civilian airports.
Trump confirmed the news on Truth Social, as he penned: “BREAKING NEWS: I am pleased to announce that the United States of America has entered into an Agreement with The Kingdom of Denmark, and Greenland, that gives the United States permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland, completely addressing ALL of our many U.S. concerns.
“There will be NO COST to the United States! At my direction, we worked with representatives of Denmark and Greenland to guarantee that the United States will FOREVER have the complete ability to do what is necessary in Greenland in order to secure and defend the security of Greenland, and the United States of America. Additionally, from now on, no U.S. adversary can EVER have a base in Greenland, have a military presence in Greenland, or make sensitive investments in Greenland, without our express written approval.”
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Trump continued: “For over 100 years, Presidents have known the strategic importance of Greenland, but NONE of them were able to do anything about it. I am proud to be the President that permanently and conclusively addressed this very important situation. This is an ‘Infinite Life’ Agreement, there is no end!
“We are very honored and proud of what has just taken place, and everything agreed to today will be cherished by the American People.
“We will immediately begin the process of developing a large Military presence in the appropriate part of Greenland, of which there are many. We will work with the people of Greenland in its development and construction. This solution is a great one for the United States of America, Denmark, Greenland, and all of our Allies.”
He concluded: “We look forward to working with the wonderful people of Denmark and Greenland toward a magnificent future with respect to this large, and highly strategic, parcel of land. We will be very protective of it! This is a dream come true for the United States of America, one that is very important, historic, and special. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP”.
Before this, Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen has repeatedly rejected Trump’s arguments, arguing that the idea of US control is a “fantasy” of Trump’s.
South Wales Police is one of the first across the country to be rolling out new measures as part of a £26m Home Office drive to tackle knife crime, save lives and protect local communities
South Wales is among the first areas in England and Wales to begin rolling out a major knife crime crackdown that will see more targeted police patrols in the most dangerous hotspots.
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Knife detection technology and improved targeted drug and alcohol support in health services are among measures to be rolled out as part of a nationwide effort to save lives and protect communities.
South Wales Police is one of the first across the country to be rolling out new measures as part of a £26m Home Office drive to tackle knife crime, save lives and protect local communities. Always keep on top of the latest Welsh news with our newsletter.
The new initiatives will be focused in six hotspot areas in south Wales, which local police, councils and community partners have identified as where knife crime violence is having the greatest impact on communities. Overall, more than 230 areas across 27 police forces in England and Wales are rolling out action plans from this month.
Each plan will be tailored to the area. They will combine tough police enforcement activity such as enhanced police patrols, alongside programmes designed for young people most at risk of being a victim or a perpetrator of knife crime.
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In some areas, there will also be improvements to public spaces, including better lighting and redesigning areas to prevent weapons being hidden.
The targeted action comes as South Wales continues to make progress in reducing knife crime.
Since June 2024, knife-related offences have fallen by 10% overall, with serious assaults involving a knife down 17%, helping to make communities safer and reducing the harm caused by violence.
Growing evidence shows that concerted action in small, targeted areas is the most effective way of driving down knife crime. This crackdown comes as new data shows seven forces, Metropolitan Police, West Midlands Police, Greater Manchester Police, West Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Police, Avon and Somerset Police and British Transport Police have made real inroads into tackling an issue that has blighted communities across the country, identifying and arresting more people through the better sharing of data.
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Across these forces, knife-enabled robbery has plummeted by nearly a quarter (23%) since the General Election – with more than 3,600 fewer knife robberies reported.
The announcement marks a step forward on knife crime since the government came into office. Overall knife crime is down by 11%, as the government continues to make progress towards its target of halving it within a decade.
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community, and no young life should be blighted by knife crime. Targeted policing and prevention, focused on the areas where the need is greatest, is already cutting knife robberies by nearly a quarter. That means safer streets, and fewer lives lost.
“I am now taking this approach to more than 230 areas across the country. This Government is getting tough on knife crime and on the causes of knife crime to make our communities safer.”
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On September 17, Shabana Mahmood visited the West Midlands, one of the regions receiving additional funding through the Knife Crime Concentrations Fund. She was joined at a local boxing gym, which plays a vital part in supporting vulnerable young people to stay away from crime, by members of the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime: Lynne Baird MBE, Pastor Lorraine Jones Burrell MBE, and Pooja Kanda OBE.
Campaigning by these three women – who have all tragically lost children to knives – has helped keep the issue at the top of the national agenda and reinforced the need for action on enforcement, prevention and protecting young people from being drawn into violence.
Pooja Kanda OBE, founder of Justice for Ronan Kanda, said: “Having lost my son Ronan, I know the devastating consequences of knife crime. Behind every statistic is a family and community that has been changed forever.
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“These reductions are encouraging, but I am even more encouraged by the Home Secretary’s commitment to targeted action in areas experiencing the greatest harm. Enforcement is vital, but sitting equally alongside prevention and early intervention – reaching young people before violence sets in and addressing the circumstances that allow it to develop.
“Ronan’s Law showed what can be achieved when government, campaigners, policing and communities work together. The progress we are seeing matters. Now we must remain determined, build on it, and continue to give young people genuine alternatives and hope.”
Lynne Baird MBE, founder of the Daniel Baird Foundation, said: “The Daniel Baird Foundation welcomes the Home Office’s focus on tackling knife crime, and the targeted action being taken in communities most affected by violence.
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“Reducing knife-enabled robbery and preventing young people from becoming involved in violence is vitally important. We commend the funding’s ability to be used for preventative measures, including education, early intervention and an understanding of the devasting consequences that knife crime can have.
“Our vision is in line with the government’s – stop the violence where we can. Prevention saves lives. Preparedness saves lives too.”
And pastor Lorraine Jones Burrell MBE, founder of Dwaynamics, added: “As a mother who lost my son Dwayne to knife crime, and as someone who has spent many years working on the frontline with young people, families and communities affected by violence, this announcement gives me greater peace of mind, despite the tears that will always remain. For me, it is loss mixed with hope.
“I particularly want to commend the Home Secretary for the leadership, determination and humanity being shown in driving this work forward. What stands out to me is that this is not only about policies, policing or statistics. There is a human approach at the heart of it; one that recognises the value of every young life and understands the devastating impact violence has on families and communities. As a bereaved mother, that matters deeply to me.
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“Through my involvement with the government’s Knife Crime Coalition, the importance of grassroots organisations that bring people together around a shared determination to save young lives has been recognised. There is compassion alongside action, and that gives me hope. It shows our young people that their futures matter at the very highest levels of government. This is how we begin mending what has been broken.”
President Donald Trump on Friday claimed to have “banned” three of the country’s most prominent news outlets from the White House, taking a page from authoritarian leaders by attempting to limit coverage of his administration by legitimate journalists as his and his party’s popularity continue to crumble as the midterm elections approach.
Writing on Truth Social, the president said he would “effective immediately” be “banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW … and Politico … from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS.”
“Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America. Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow,” he added.
All of the outlets mentioned by the president are legitimate and reputable news organizations with long histories of aggressive and independent reporting under both Republican and Democratic administrations.
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It’s unclear what, if anything, specifically led to the president’s outburst, but Trump has had a years-long feud with CNN dating back to his first campaign for the presidency and his first term in the White House. And in an unrelated Oval Office press availability, he doubled down shortly after.
US President Donald J. Trump makes an announcement on healthcare in the Oval Office (Reuters)
The president launched into a lengthy rant in the Oval Office in which he repeated a bogus claim that Politico had received a subsidy from the Biden administration — actually subscription revenues from government agencies — and suggested that other outlets could also face similar fates if they do not write positive stories about his administration.
“Something is wrong with a country that can allow people to write purposely negative stories,” the president said. “If they want to write them, that’s fine. I don’t have to let them into the people’s house.
“They purposely write negative news, and they do that because want to try and diminish the Republicans and a Republican administration,” he continued. “And honestly, we’ve done a fantastic job.
“Look at the numbers. Look at the economic numbers. We have more money coming into our country today than ever before, we have the highest employment that we’ve ever had in history … we have the best poverty rate, the lowest poverty rate in the history of our country, and people are making more money today than they ever had.”
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The president does not actually possess the authority to arbitrarily ban entire outlets from the White House based on the content those outlets publish.
Not only does the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protect the right of journalists to report without government interference, but a 1977 District of Columbia Circuit Court case, Sherill v. Knight, states that “bona fide journalists” cannot be denied access to White House press facilities except in cases when a journalist seeking a press credential to enter the White House “presents a potential source of physical danger to the President and/or his immediate family so serious as to justify his exclusion.”
That decades-old precedent was upheld during Trump’s first term after he attempted to revoke the credentials of CNN’s then-chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta, and later a columnist for Playboy, Brian Karem, for behavior the White House considered to be inappropriate.
In both cases, the DC Circuit Court upheld lower court orders directing the White House to restore both journalists’ White House press passes.
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Trump takes questions from reporters Friday after saying he will ban certain media outlets that do not flatter him from having access to the White House in the future (Reuters)
“If President Trump means to expel these news organizations from the White House press pool, his action is doubly unconstitutional because the press pool is a ‘public forum’ under the First Amendment, which means the president can’t exclude journalists from it on the basis of their viewpoints,” Jameel Jaffer, the executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, told the New York Times.
Trump has nonetheless pushed to punish news outlets by restricting their access to the White House during his second term.
Last year, his administration seized control of the press pool that had for decades been organized by the White House Correspondents’ Association in order to punish the Associated Press for refusing to change its’ widely used style guide to reflect his administration’s attempt to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”
His handpicked Pentagon boss, ex-Fox News presenter turned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has instituted sweeping restrictions on the Pentagon’s own press corps that led nearly every legitimate media outlet covering the Defense Department to turn in their credentials.
It is not clear whether anyone from the White House has attempted to enforce the president’s purported “ban” on CNN, MSNOW and Politico.
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As of Friday afternoon, CNN’s press workspace was fully staffed and multiple camera and sound technicians from the network were present on the White House campus.
“CNN stands fully behind our White House team and their fair and accurate reporting. We have a right under the U.S. Constitution to do that reporting without hindrance or interference from the government,” the network said in a statement.
“Should the ban which President Trump threatened go ahead, it would be an illegal assault on that fundamental and constitutionally-protected right.”
CNN star Jake Tapper took to X on Friday evening and slammed Trump for the ban attempt.
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“Less than an hour after @KristenhCNN did this report about the WH announcement of lower drug prices, President Trump complained CNN would never cover such a thing and banned us from the White House. In addition to being unconstitutional, it’s so ill-informed,” he wrote.”
In a statement, Politico said it “will continue to fairly report on this White House and future ones. We will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights against any attempt to restrict them. The claims that POLITICO received government subsidies are false and have been thoroughly debunked.”
Asked how he could justify attempting to ban news outlets when he has taken an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution, Trump replied: “Because they’re fake news, and you get so tired of reading and seeing fake news.”
Very little of what the president said was actually accurate. For one, the highest-ever recorded U.S. employment rate was 64.7 percent, 26 years ago in April 2000.
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Asked about his prior attempts to ban individual reporters, Trump suggested a different judge would have been more amenable to his authoritarian push to restrict a free press.
“To be honest with you, I don’t think that a court should allow fake news to be written day after day after day, I think that somebody has a right to keep them away if they’re going to write false stories all the time,” he said.
He continued complaining that the coverage of his administration by legitimate news organizations is not fawning in the manner practiced by Breitbart News and other partisan outlets.
When a reporter attempted to ask Sanders — who was actually in the Oval Office for the event in her new role as Governor of Arkansas — whether she agreed with Trump’s push to ban entire news organizations, he interjected and repeated himself.
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“I don’t think somebody should be allowed to come in and write fake stories, fake news, and that’s why they have no credibility,” he said.
“They never write a good story … it’s sick. I mean, there’s something wrong with a country that can allow people to write purposely negative stories. Now, if they want to write them, that’s fine. But I don’t have to let them into my — into the people’s house.”
He also complained that two of the nation’s largest papers — The New York Times and The Washington Post — were “fake” and “disgusting,” but he did not indicate that he would attempt to bar their reporters from the White House.
Bruce Brown, president of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said in a statement: “A ban like this would be flatly unconstitutional. The First Amendment is clear that once the White House invites in some journalists, it can’t ban others because it doesn’t like their reporting.”
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Jacqui Heinrich, president of the White House Correspondents Association, also addressed the ban.
“The president said it plainly in the Oval Office, describing his own planned action as a “ban on the free press.” The Constitution protects the freedom of the press from government interference. That protection does not depend on whether the president likes a news organization’s coverage, agrees with its reporting, or approves of the questions its journalists ask.
“This is about more than the rights of journalists. It is about the right of the American people to receive a full and independent account of the activities, policies and decisions of whoever occupies the nation’s highest office. The WHCA stands in defense of our colleagues at CNN, MSNOW, and Politico who are being singled out for doing their jobs.”
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