**🚨 BREAKING: A FORMER WHITE HOUSE FIGURE Is Back in the Spotlight After Reports Circulated Claiming Members of the Press Were Asked to Leave Following a Major Development Related to Tariffs**

Palm Beach, Florida – February 16, 2026

Donald Trump has once again seized the national spotlight following a dramatic and highly unusual incident at Mar-a-Lago yesterday afternoon, when multiple members of the press were reportedly asked — and in some cases instructed — to leave the property immediately after a closed-door meeting concluded on the subject of escalating U.S. tariffs against Canada. The episode, first reported by three separate journalists who were present, has rapidly escalated into one of the most talked-about political moments of the week, fueling intense speculation about the former president’s continued influence, the state of U.S.-Canada relations, and the boundaries of press access during a period of profound constitutional uncertainty.

According to accounts from reporters with CNN, The Washington Post, and Bloomberg who were credentialed for a planned photo-op and brief remarks, the gathering began routinely. Trump had invited a small group of business leaders and Republican governors to discuss what he described as “finalizing the strongest tariff package in American history” in response to Canada’s retaliatory measures on U.S. agricultural exports. The former president — removed from office under the 25th Amendment but still actively directing messaging and strategy from Mar-a-Lago — reportedly spent nearly 90 minutes in a private session before emerging to greet the waiting media.

What happened next has become the subject of conflicting narratives. Several journalists stated that as Trump began speaking — reiterating his demand for Canada to “pay billions in back payments for protection” and threatening to expand tariffs to include lumber, dairy, and energy — an aide interrupted to whisper something in his ear. Trump then paused, turned to the press pool, and said (according to three separate recordings): “We’re done here. You can all leave now. This is private business.”

Reporters were then escorted off the property by Secret Service personnel and Mar-a-Lago security. At least two journalists reported being told explicitly: “The president has ended the press availability. Please exit the premises.” No official reason was given, and no statement was released by Trump’s team until nearly four hours later, when a brief post on Truth Social read: “The Fake News was trying to twist my words again. I had an important private meeting — nothing for them to report anyway. They can go cry somewhere else!”

The incident has triggered immediate and widespread backlash. The White House Correspondents’ Association issued a statement within the hour: “Preventing credentialed journalists from reporting on a public figure who continues to exert significant influence over national policy is unacceptable. This is not transparency — it is opacity at a moment when the country needs clarity.” Major news organizations have demanded an explanation from Acting President JD Vance’s office, asking whether the White House will clarify the scope of Trump’s post-removal access to sensitive economic-policy discussions.

The timing is particularly sensitive. The U.S.-Canada tariff dispute — which escalated sharply after Trump’s public comments questioning allied contributions during past military operations — has already pushed bilateral trade talks to the brink. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to the Mar-a-Lago incident this morning: “If former leaders are still directing tariff policy from private residences while excluding the press, it raises serious questions about who is actually making decisions in Washington. Canada will defend its interests regardless.”

Online, the reaction has been volcanic. #TrumpKicksOutPress and #Mar-a-LagoBlackout trended globally within minutes, amassing more than 41 million combined mentions. Progressive accounts shared side-by-side clips of Trump’s 2016–2020 promises to “open up the press” with yesterday’s abrupt shutdown. Conservative supporters countered with claims that the media was “hostile” and “looking for gotcha moments.” Memes depicting Trump as a bouncer at his own resort (“No press allowed after 5 p.m.”) spread rapidly.

Late-night hosts seized the moment. Jimmy Kimmel opened his monologue with: “Trump kicked the press out of Mar-a-Lago yesterday. That’s not a press conference — that’s a press eviction. Apparently the only thing he hates more than tariffs on Canada is reporters asking questions.” Stephen Colbert ran a parody skit of Trump whispering to aides: “Get them out before they ask about the red folder… or the missing billions… or anything.”

The episode has intensified existing questions about Trump’s post-presidency role. Acting President Vance has repeatedly insisted that policy decisions are his alone, yet reports of Trump’s continued involvement in tariff strategy — combined with yesterday’s press exclusion — have fueled accusations of a “parallel government” operating from Florida. Several Republican senators, already under pressure after the 25th Amendment vote, privately told reporters they are “increasingly uncomfortable” with the optics.

Public reaction remains deeply divided. A flash poll from YouGov released this afternoon shows 57% of Americans believe former presidents should have “no role whatsoever” in directing current policy, including 39% of Republicans. Pro-Trump accounts have rallied around claims of “media bias,” while critics argue the incident proves Trump is still behaving as though he holds office.

As the FCC mulls broadcast-license transfers that could expand conservative media reach, and as impeachment proceedings advance in the House, yesterday’s brief but dramatic press exclusion has become a powerful symbol: a former president who once thrived on media attention now appearing to shrink from it — even on his own property.

Whether the moment proves fleeting or marks a turning point in perceptions of Trump’s post-presidency influence remains to be seen. For now, the image of reporters being escorted off the grounds of Mar-a-Lago has ensured that attention remains firmly fixed — not on what was said behind closed doors, but on what was deliberately kept from public view.