Melania Trump ’s office approved CNN reporter Betsy Klein to cover a United Nations event on September 22, 2026, just days after Donald Trump barred CNN from White House access. The credential creates an immediate workaround to the president’s media ban. CNN’s Brian Stelter reported the approval on September 21, saying news organizations would look for alternate routes to cover the administration. Klein’s assignment involves an event with Melania Trump on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, rather than an official White House press pool event. So, What Happens to the Press Pool? Donald Trump announced on September 18 that CNN, MS NOW, and Politico were banned from the White House “effective immediately.” Donald Trump accused the outlets of publishing what he called “fiction and lies” about his presidency and administration in a post on Truth Social. On September 21, Fox News, ABC News, CBS News, CNN, and NBC News suspended their shared television coverage of presidential pool events. The networks said the public deserves independent information about the government, while CNN, MS NOW, and Politico sued the Trump administration, arguing that the exclusions violated the First Amendment and happened without due process.