White House insiders say President Donald Trump’s decision to restrict CNN, MS NOW and Politico reflects the growing influence of aides Natalie Harp and Bill Pulte. The move reportedly surprised some staff, triggered legal challenges and disrupted presidential media coverage, while critics questioned whether Trump received sufficient advice against an undemocratic decision.

Harp, 35, is described as having unusually close access to Trump and frequently publishing posts he dictates. Pulte, 38, who leads the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has travelled with Trump repeatedly and is said to promote policy ideas directly, including a controversial 50-year mortgage proposal. The ban followed reports that Harp showed Trump critical media coverage, although Trump has reportedly considered restricting the outlets for some time.