The Press
All three. CNN, Politico, MS NOW. The badges came off.
Betsy Klein. Cheyenne Haslett. Akayla Gardner. Secret Service took the passes. The lawyers are next.
The Rocket News · Washington Bureau · WashingtonSeptember 20, 2026 · 4 min read

Saturday morning the post became a gate. CNN’s Betsy Klein had her pass seized. Politico’s Cheyenne Haslett was turned away; an agent would not say why. MS NOW’s Akayla Gardner: the badge beeped red, then it was taken. A photographer too. A producer’s still worked. The Politics desk files the Friday Truth Social ban as an order the Secret Service carried out on all three names.
CNN: an illegal assault on a constitutionally protected right. Politico’s Jonathan Greenberger to the newsroom: we will vigorously defend the First Amendment. MS NOW: any and all steps. First Amendment lawyers said the action will not stand a court. Five networks still rotate the pool camera. The White House had no press secretary to explain it.
We will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights.
The Politics desk files Sunday as it is: three outlets, three confiscated badges, and a president who said he did not want them in his office. The gate answered. The complaint is not filed yet.
Wire and further reading: politico.com
Filed under Politics
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The Associated Press called both chambers on Wednesday morning. It named seven Senate flips. This desk does not print a House seat total.

Election night
Cooper took the seat. Control is not called.
AP called North Carolina for Roy Cooper at 8:23 p.m. Eastern. Democrats still need three more Senate seats. This desk does not print a House net, and it does not print a second board.
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Trump held up the pool. That was Monday.
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