'They never boycott me': Trump boasts as Zohran Mamdani calls for press after White House ban
WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump has once again portrayed himself as a favored figure among members of the press.
The 80-year-old president boasted that the press can “never boycott me” as he addressed reporters at Gracie Mansion on Monday, September 21, after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani requested that the media be present.
.@POTUS on the Fake News: "It's interesting because they said they were going to be boycott me — but they never boycott me, so I wasn't very worried about that. Look at all that press!" 🤣 pic.twitter.com/CUiAjak0QB
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 21, 2026
Trump’s unexpected meeting with his longtime rival, Mamdani, came just hours after the five television networks that make up the White House television press pool, CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox News and CNN, announced they would jointly suspend pool coverage of the president in response to his decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
As Trump continued to face criticism over his treatment of the media, the three targeted outlets teamed up to file a lawsuit against the unprecedented move.
Trump dismisses media boycott amid White House press tensions
After their hour-long meeting, Trump and Mamdani faced questions from reporters, with one asking the mayor how he viewed the president’s decision to bar outlets from the White House grounds.
"Did you challenge him at all about this in your meeting with him? Historians and legal scholars have called it 'textbook authoritarianism,’” the reporter asked.
The journalist then continued with a question for Trump, asking, "Are you banning outlets like CNN, MS NOW, and Politico in order to distract from the Iran war and high gas prices?"
"I told the president that we're gonna have all of the members of the press here on the lawn, and that is something that I believe in,” Mamdani said in response.
Trump then took the microphone, adding, "It's interesting 'cause they said they were gonna boycott me, but they never boycotted me. So, I wasn't very worried about that. Look at all that press."
Defending the restrictions, Trump said the decision was driven by what he described as a responsibility to ensure fair media coverage.
“I'm only doing it because I think the press also has an obligation,” Trump said, adding that he believed his administration had accomplished significant things but received predominantly negative coverage.
Trump’s White House helipad unveiling descends into chaos
Trump’s decision to bar the three outlets from the White House has triggered not only a federal lawsuit but also a wider disruption to the White House television press pool.
The president’s gloating comments came after a chaotic White House lawn event where major networks boycotted Trump’s announcement of a new helipad, leaving the ceremony’s video feed broadcast to viewers around the world without audio.
Trump made his first remarks without the TV pool and it is impossible to hear him through the White House feed. He is doing an unveiling of the new helipad just before Xi’s visit.
— Sophia Cai (@SophiaCai99) September 21, 2026
Nothing but static for 9 minutes and Trump is wheels up. pic.twitter.com/xpMqvA7SSJ
However, in response to the media ban, the White House has launched ‘TRUMP TV: The Essentials Station’, a 24/7 digital video stream that features presidential remarks, administration videos and selected highlights.
The White House promoted the new stream through its official social media accounts. It is available as a live feed on the White House’s official website and YouTube channel.
The stream’s description states, "Watch the Trump Administration's biggest moments all in one place. Top videos, major remarks, and must-see highlights streaming 24/7 and updated in real time. Stay informed and stay up to date."
