Fact Check: Did Trump cancel Fox News' Sean Hannity interview over press access dispute?

WASHINGTON, DC: After President Donald Trump banned news outlets from the White House press pool, a rumor is circulating on social media platforms claiming the president canceled Fox News’ interview with Sean Hannity due to the dispute over press access. The claim has sparked speculation, prompting a fact-check of the rumor.

Claim: Donald Trump cancelled interview with Fox News

According to a post that appeared on X, Trump expressed disappointment with Fox News for joining media outlets in protesting the enforcement of the new press access rule.

In response, Trump has canceled his weekly call-in to Fox and Friends, as well as a planned 90-minute exclusive on Iran and the economy with Sean Hannity. 

It further states that the president is making it clear that the press is free to write whatever they want, but that doesn’t mean he has to give them special, privileged access to do it. 

The post ended by claiming that the White House is rescheduling the exclusive with a friendlier outlet.

Fact Check: Donald Trump made no such move

Although Fox News did join the media outlets in protesting against being banned from the White House, there is no evidence suggesting that Trump canceled the outlet’s interview with Sean Hannity.

There are no announcements from Fox News, nor are there any statements or social media posts from the president or the White House about cancelling an interview with Hannity.

If the claim were true, it would not go unreported by credible media outlets and would have made headlines, given the Trump administration’s recent clashes with the press.

Donald Trump banned media outlets from White House

The claim surfaced after Trump, on Friday, September 18, announced that reporters from CNN, Politico, and MS NOW  would no longer have access to the White House, accusing them of spreading “fake news,” and warned that other outlets could face similar treatment.   

Taking to his Truth Social account, the president wrote, “I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW … and Politico … from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!”   

When asked about the ban, Trump told reporters at a press conference, “Because they’re fake news. You get so tired of reading and seeing fake news. When you look at CNN, it’s just fake. That’s why their ratings are no good. When you look at MS NOW…, it’s fake news.”