Pope Leo XIV defends media coverage of public figures amid Trump ban question

Pope Leo XIV is on official visit to France in 18 years

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Published September 25, 2026
Pope Leo XIV defends media coverage of public figures amid Trump ban question

Pope Leo XIV has responded to the question revolving around the Trump’s administration’s attempt to restrict press access to the White House.

When asked about Trump's ban on media coverage, Pope not only welcomed the reporters to cover him as he travelled to France for a four-day visit but also defended media coverage of public figures.

“I am very happy that here, you are all welcome,” he said. He also affirmed his support for freedom of press. "With ​coverage, I ⁠think it's very important that we have it all ​the way around for everyone."

However, Pope did not mention or refer to Trump in his response but called the coverage really important.

The question stemmed from the Trump administration’s announcement to ban three major outlets CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House over the concerns of promoting negativity, lies and fake news.

Considering the ban as a violation of the First Amendment of the US constitution, these media outlets sued the Trump administration. On Thursday, a federal judge blocked Trump’s ban and ordered the admin to restore their access.

Following a judge's temporary restraining order, CNN, MS NOW, and Politico returned to the White House on Thursday, marking a temporary setback in President Donald Trump’s ongoing feud with outlets over their critical coverage.

Even no major American network aired live coverage of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington and state dinner and both CNN and MS NOW reported that their journalists were denied access to the arrival.

Aqsa Qaddus Tahir
Aqsa Qaddus Tahir is a reporter dedicated to science coverage, exploring breakthroughs, emerging research, and innovation. Her work centres on making scientific developments understandable and relevant, presenting well-researched stories that connect complex ideas with everyday life in a clear, engaging, and informative manner.
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