SAJA Stands With All White House Journalists

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026

The South Asian Journalists Association is deeply concerned by President Trump's decision to restrict access to the White House for journalists representing CNN, MS Now and Politico. We urge the president to reconsider this action and ensure that members of the press are treated fairly and without discrimination based on their reporting.

At its core, journalism upholds democracy. Journalists should be able to ask difficult questions, scrutinize those in positions of power and report on the actions of government without fear their access or professional standing will be threatened. Restricting journalists because of their coverage undermines that essential role and raises serious concerns about the ability of the press to operate independently.

The First Amendment protects the essential role of journalism in the United States. The public relies on all journalists to provide accurate, independent information and to hold government officials accountable. SAJA therefore calls on the president to respect the constitutional rights of journalists and to ensure that White House press access is provided on an equitable basis, without retaliation for the content of legitimate news coverage.