Rubio: No One Is Banned From Covering The White House, They're Banned From Having A Desk In The Building
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2026/09/22/rubio_american_news_sounds_like_theyre_rooting_for_iran_but_theres_no_ban.html

Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejects the

REPORTER: Mr. Secretary, quickly here, as you know, the White House has banned three networks from coverage there, among those CNN. You have a pool of reporters that travel with you. Any plans to ban any of the reporters who travel with you as a result?

SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO: Yeah, look, the White House feels very strongly, and the president feels very strongly, that the coverage he gets - and I can't blame him. Look, I got to be honest with you, maybe you won't like to hear it, but I watch a lot of American news coverage, and it sounds like they're rooting for Iran and highlight anything Iran says in their public statements as true and downplay everything American officials say as wrong.

I don't think that is what's behind this, but I think there is a trend line here that is - so, look, the White House feels very strongly.

REPORTER: With all due respect, should media outlets be banned because the president doesn't like their coverage?

MARCO RUBIO: They're not banned.

REPORTER: They are banned. They're banned from the White House.

MARCO RUBIO: No, they're not. We're not closing CNN.

REPORTER: Well, that's different. What they want is access to the [unclear].

MARCO RUBIO: The White House.

REPORTER: Does it sit right with you?

MARCO RUBIO: The president feels strongly that, why should I have people working in my building and in my office that I believe are not honestly covering my administration? That's how he feels.

We're not closing CNN. There aren't a bunch of police officers or soldiers kicking down the doors of MSNBC, or MS NOW, or whatever it's called, and arresting people and unplugging them from the grid.

REPORTER: There will be no changes to your traveling pool of reporters?

MARCO RUBIO: We haven't discussed it, but again, I think - you know, every- This is a decision the White House made about coverage in the White House. Look, I'll do a press conference today, and I imagine there will be reporters there, or tomorrow, and there will be reporters there from every outlet.

I don't ask who they're with and so forth, and I don't think the White House is saying they're not able to cover the president.

What he is saying - they're all going to write stories and do stories about the president - what he is arguing is, why should I have these people? What right do they have to be embedded in this building? They can cover the White House. They just can't have a desk there.