Top Senate Republican Tells NBC’s Welker That Trump Is Not Violating The Constitution With His Press Ban

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) stood firmly with Donald Trump when NBC News’s Kristen Welker asked about the president’s ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House.

On Sunday’s Meet The Press, Welker asked Barrasso if he agreed with Trump’s action.

“We all respect and value the freedom of the press, it’s in the Constitution. The president, remember, in his first term he was banned from Twitter, he was banned from Facebook, and I didn’t see people come to his defense. So, it goes both ways,” Barrasso said. “The press has an obligation to report fairly. The president doesn’t see it happening that way. Every politician wants fair treatment from the press, as do I, as does the president.”

“No president has ever thought they’ve gotten fair treatment from the press, to be fair,” Welker said. “As you know, senator, the First Amendment guarantees freedom of the press. Courts have barred the White House from banning access over their coverage. Do you believe he is violating the Constitution with this ban, senator?”

Barrasso flat-out answered, “No.”

He continued:

I believe the press has an obligation to report fairly. When you take a look at this president, and you take a look at the Hunter Biden laptop, if you want to really get into things where the press ignored the reality for a long period of time, said it was a Russian hoax. The bottom line on all of this is, this is not going to have an impact on an election 44 days from now. People are going to go to the voting booth, they’re going to make a decision based on their life, their future, what they believe is best for them and their families. My point is that they’re going to choose between common sense Republicans and crazy Democrats. I think when they make that decision they will say in the long-term, for their lives, they’re going to be better with Republicans, which is why your polling shows the Democrats in such dire straits as they’re even less popular right now than Republicans.

Welker played a clip of Trump in 2025 saying, “I have stopped all government censorship and brought back free speech in America. It’s back.”

She asked Barrasso again if the president’s actions amounts to “government censorship?”

“You know, I think I’ve answered. You’ve asked the question a couple of times and I’ve answered.”

Watch the clip above via NBC News’s Meet The Press.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!