Mamdani Invites All Press to Trump Meeting, Challenging White House Ban

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated he invited all members of the press to a joint press conference with President Donald Trump at Gracie Mansion on Monday, directly challenging the administration's recent ban on several news outlets. The event, which focused on housing and infrastructure, became a platform for a public dispute over press access and presidential media coverage. During the press conference, a reporter asked Mamdani if he had challenged Trump on his decision to bar CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House. Mamdani replied, "I told the president we would have all the members of the press here on the lawn and that is something that I believe in." He emphasized his commitment to engaging with all opinions and critiques. President Trump defended his ban, stating the press has an obligation and that the excluded outlets are "very bad for the country, very bad for national security." He accused them of inaccurate reporting and "fake news," claiming their coverage is always negative. Trump also remarked that the outlets had threatened to boycott him but never followed through, adding, "I wasn't very worried about that.