Judge Orders White House: Restore Press Access to Banned Outlets!
Judge Orders White House: Restore Press Access to Banned Outlets!
Federal judge rules Trump's ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico violated constitutional rights. Read how media access was restored at the White House!
In a significant victory for press freedom, a federal judge has ordered the White House to restore access for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, six days after President Donald Trump had banned the outlets. District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled overnight that revoking the White House press credentials of these three media organizations "likely violated their constitutional due process rights."
Journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico were initially turned away by the Secret Service on Thursday, September 24, 2026, when they attempted to return to the White House. However, they were eventually granted entry later that midday, following the judge's clear directive. The moment of their return was captured by reporters from other outlets, who gathered around CNN's tent to welcome them back.
The White House had previously barred CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, with President Trump labeling their reporting as “fake news” and “fiction and lies.” The outlets, in turn, filed a joint lawsuit, arguing that the ban constituted "viewpoint discrimination" and a “blatant violation” of the First Amendment, which protects a free press. The Department of Justice had countered that access to the White House was a “privilege, not a right” and that the President could control reporter access.
The White House Press Office had accused the banned outlets of “trafficking in verifiable falsehoods about national security” and publishing sensitive information, citing stories about the U.S.-Iran conflict and plans for a military bunker.
However, Judge Kelly, who was appointed by Mr.
Trump during his first term, expressed skepticism regarding these claims, stating,
The Court is skeptical - at least on this record - that Defendants' interest in safeguarding national security is the actual motivation for, or is even advanced by, the revocation of Plaintiffs' hard passes.
In a rare show of solidarity, the top five U.S. broadcasters, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, and NBC, had announced they would halt pool coverage of the White House. They emphasized the public's vital interest in accurate, independent information and asserted that no administration should restrict a news organization over disagreements with its reporting.
This collective stance underscored the broader implications of the ban for media freedom and governmental accountability.
