Pope Leo XIV emphasized the importance of broad media access Friday after being asked about President Donald Trump’s decision to bar CNN and other news organizations from the White House.
The Pope was questioned aboard the papal aircraft while traveling from Rome to Paris, according to LifeSiteNews, which cited Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb’s account of the exchange.
Rather than directly addressing Trump or CNN by name, Leo focused his response on the journalists traveling with him.
Lamb reported that the Pope said he was “very happy that here you are all welcome, and good coverage, I think, is very important and that we have it all the way around, for everyone.”
According to LifeSiteNews, Leo’s brief response came approximately a week after Trump announced that CNN, MS NOW, formerly MSNBC, and Politico would no longer be permitted access to the White House.
Trump announced the decision on Truth Social on September 18, accusing the organizations of repeatedly publishing false information about his administration.
“I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW … and Politico … from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” Trump wrote, according to CBS News.
Trump later defended the decision while speaking with reporters, arguing that news organizations should not be permitted White House access if, in his view, they publish false reports.
“I don’t think somebody should be allowed to come in and write fake stories,” Trump said, according to a CNN transcript of his remarks. “They’re fake news.” He added that the three organizations were being banned and said “there may be others to follow.”
The restrictions were subsequently put into effect. According to the Associated Press, reporters representing CNN, MS NOW and Politico were denied entrance to the White House on September 19, and their credentials were confiscated.
The affected organizations have challenged the administration’s action on constitutional grounds. CNN said it stands behind the “fair and accurate reporting” of its White House journalists and argued that the First Amendment protects its ability to report without government interference. Politico similarly said it would continue covering the administration and defend its First Amendment rights.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico later filed a federal lawsuit challenging the restrictions, arguing that the administration retaliated against them because of their reporting and discriminated against them based on viewpoint.
Trump, meanwhile, has maintained that the restrictions concern what he considers inaccurate reporting rather than an attempt to prevent legitimate scrutiny of his administration. In announcing the ban, he argued that media organizations “shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES” when covering his presidency or the United States.
Pope Leo did not directly weigh in on the constitutional dispute or explicitly criticize Trump’s decision in the remarks reported by Lamb. His response instead stressed the value of journalists being welcomed and of ensuring broad news coverage.
The exchange comes as Leo continues to address questions surrounding communication, public discourse and the responsibility of those entrusted with informing society. His remarks aboard the papal plane offered a concise message amid the growing dispute in Washington: “good coverage” is important, and it should extend “for everyone.”
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We should not encourage lies.. people like democrats want to scare people into trusting them so they can control them. They tell you George Floyd was murdered racistly but they dont tell you one of the guuys they arrested for the so called racist murder was black.