Vice President JD Vance Was the Anonymous Source Behind the White House Media Ban

Vice President JD Vance was the anonymous senior administration official who briefed reporters on a June call about an Iran peace deal, a story the White House cited in its ban of Politico, MS NOW, and CNN. The White House later argued in court that such anonymous leaks of national security information spread misinformation and diverted resources, though Vance had been granted anonymity by multiple outlets on the call. Vance publicly supported the ban, calling it "totally appropriate." A judge lifted the ban Wednesday night, but the White House still barred the outlets' reporters Thursday morning, potentially undermining the administration's legal defense for restricting press access.