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Sep 25, 2026 50 min

The White House on Mute

from On the Media Hosted by micah loewinger, Roger Parloff, Sonja West, brooke gladstone

When the president barred Politico, CNN, and MS Now from the White House, the press pool boycotted the president, leaving him without his usual TV coverage. On this week’s On the Media, why media outlets finally banded together. Plus, the legal debate over journalists’ access to the country's highest office. [01:00] Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger get together to chat about The White House Press Pool’s walkout, why it took so long for them to take collective action, and what it means for the relationship between Donald Trump and the media. [16:12] Brooke Gladstone speaks with Roger Parloff, senior editor at Lawfare, about about the Trump administration’s legal justifications for banning outlets, and what he learned from attending the hearings this week. [31:38] Brooke also sits down with Sonja West, professor of the first amendment at the University of Georgia School of Law, about the history of press access being granted, and denied by the White House. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [email protected].

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The White House on Mute

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This episode was published on September 25, 2026.

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