Obama’s final press briefing as president resurfaces amid Trump’s media ban | indy100

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Barack Obama’s final press briefing as president from 2017 has resurfaced on social media, and Donald Trump critics are claiming it’s an illustration of how far standards have fallen amid the president’s recent media ban.

Last week, Trump banned CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House, blasting all three of them as "fake news" and warned there are "other outlets to follow".

In a Truth Social post on Friday (18 September), the US President said he was "proud" to ban the three media outlets "from the White House as a result of their constant 'reporting' FAKE NEWS".

Trump claimed MS NOW had rebranded from MSNBC "due to lack of viewership and credibility" and Politico were "the recipients of an illegal and ridiculous $8 million dollar subscription, an all time record, directly from the United States Government under crooked Joe Biden".

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"Media outlets shouldn't be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they're covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America," he added.

"Other fake news media outlets to follow. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

CNN, Politico and MS Now have all put out statements slamming the decision saying they will continue to fairly and accurately report in line with their constitutional rights.

Politico's statement added: "The claims that Politico received government subsidies are false and have been thoroughly debunked."

Now, a clip of Obama addressing the media has been recirculated online, showing the former president respecting the rights of journalists to write stories criticising him and saying “you are not supposed to be sycophants”.

In the clip, Obama says: “I have enjoyed working with all of you. That does not, of course, mean that I've enjoyed every story that you have filed, but that's the point of this relationship. You're not supposed to be sycophants. You're supposed to be skeptics.

“You're supposed to ask me tough questions. You're not supposed to be complimentary, but you're supposed to cast a critical eye on folks who hold enormous power."

Social media users responded to the clip, which was posted by the Headquarters account, with one writing: “Jarring contrast.”

“Well said Freedom of Speech is the best,” another added.

Another said: "'You're supposed to be skeptics.'

"This sounds provocative for a political leader to say at a time when the US president is trying his best to curtail free speech but it is essential to a democracy that citizens think, doubt, ask questions, be skeptical of their leaders."

It comes after another resurfaced clip of Obama seemingly blasting Trump's administration went viral after the current US president banned certain media outlets from being able to attend and report from the White House.

A clip of Obama speaking during an appearance at Hamilton College in upstate New York from April 2025 has resurfaced and gone viral.

"Imagine I had done any of this," Obama said. "I just want to be clear on this. Imagine if I had pulled Fox News' credentials from the press corps. You're laughing but this is what's happening.

"Imagine if I had said to law firms that were representing parties that were upset with policies my administration had initiated that 'you would not be allowed into government buildings. We will punish you economically from dissenting from the Affordable Care Act or the Iran deal. We will ferret out students who protest against my policies'.

"It's unimaginable that the same parties that are silent now would have tolerated behaviour like that from me, or a whole bunch of my predecessors.

"I say this not on a partisan basis, this has to do with something more precious, which is who are we as a country and what values do we stand for?”

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