The Daily Brief
Today
Good morning. The administration has barred reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, a move the Committee to Protect Journalists' CEO Jodie Ginsberg says echoes rhetoric used by autocrats. Former White House Correspondents Association president Weijia Jiang called the ban an "attack" on every other newsroom, not a tantrum confined to three. As more outlets join the blackout, Trump spent Monday raging on Truth Social against the federal judge assigned CNN's lawsuit.
The press purge lands as world leaders converge on the U.S., with Trump seeking to demonstrate control ahead of meetings at the U.N. and a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Conservative former federal judge Michael Luttig told MS NOW's Nicolle Wallace that Trump is near the end of the road — but all the more dangerous for it.
A federal appeals panel ruled Monday for new congressional districts backed by Trump in Missouri, as the GOP moves to eliminate one of the state's two Democratic House districts. The order may carry little practical weight: the Supreme Court has twice blocked the maps from November's election and is likely to have the final say.
Meanwhile capital consolidates on the administration's terms. The same week the White House locks critical networks out, Paramount settled states' lawsuits, clearing a $110 billion Warner Bros. takeover that would create one of the world's largest entertainment companies — a deal Democratic states caved on, handing billionaire owners a win that puts CNN and CBS News under a board-chosen group's control. In Idaho, Army veteran and former state representative Todd Achilles, challenging 83-year-old Republican Sen. James Risch, says he won't caucus with either party.
Zoom out: As world leaders gather in the U.S. and Trump moves to project control, his administration bars critical newsrooms while Democratic states clear a billionaire takeover of CNN and CBS.