White House Blocks Reporters From CNN, MS NOW and Politico

Reporters from three major news organisations were refused entry to the White House on Saturday, in what one correspondent described as the first such action against her outlet.

Akayla Gardner, a reporter for MS NOW, said on air that she and her photographer had their entry badges taken that morning. She said she had passed through two gates before an officer told her at the badge-scanning point that her credential had been disabled and asked her to surrender it.

"This is the first action we know of, of them actually denying us entry into the White House," Gardner said, adding that journalists from her organisation had been able to work on the grounds the previous day.

The move followed public remarks by President Donald Trump indicating he wants MS NOW, CNN and Politico barred. Reporters from all three organisations were turned away on Saturday.

Since returning to office for a second term, Trump and his administration have intensified pressure on certain media outlets, pursuing them both in court and through regulatory measures. The president has also criticised individual journalists directly, in person and on social media, at times in sharply personal terms.

Network correspondents are typically on hand at the White House on weekends when the president is in Washington or at the nearby Camp David retreat. Trump is spending this weekend at the Maryland presidential retreat.