Trump Ordered to Restore White House Access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico
A US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to immediately restore White House press access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico, temporarily blocking President Donald Trump’s decision to bar journalists from the three organisations.
The ruling, issued Thursday, September 24, 2026, gives the outlets a temporary legal reprieve in an escalating dispute over presidential access, press credentials and the constitutional rights of news organisations.
Judge Says Due Process Rights Were Likely Violated
US District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled that the revocation of the journalists’ White House credentials likely violated their constitutional due process rights.
The judge ordered that the press passes be reinstated for 14 days, or until further action by the court. The order also cannot be immediately appealed.
The case began after Trump announced that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be barred from the White House, accusing the organisations of publishing what he described as “fake news” and “fiction and lies.”
The three outlets subsequently filed a joint lawsuit, arguing that the administration’s action violated protections under the First Amendment, which safeguards freedom of the press, as well as their due process rights.
White House Defends Access Restrictions
The Trump administration has argued that access to the White House is a privilege rather than an automatic right.
The Department of Justice told the court that the president can control reporters’ access to restricted presidential areas, including the Oval Office.
The White House Press Office also accused the three outlets of publishing false or sensitive information relating to national security.
Its complaints included reports concerning the US-Iran war and coverage of alleged plans for a military bunker beneath the proposed East Wing ballroom.
But Judge Kelly expressed skepticism about whether the national-security argument justified the revocation of the journalists’ hard passes.
According to the ruling, the judge also questioned whether the stories cited by the administration actually advanced its stated national-security interests.
Media Organisations Challenge the Ban
Representatives for CNN, MS NOW and Politico argued in court that the government should not be able to punish news organisations because of reporting it dislikes.
Their lawyer, Theodore Boutrous, told the court that Trump’s announcement of the ban did not initially cite national security as the reason for the decision.
The outlets have argued that allowing government officials to determine which organisations can report from the White House based on their coverage could have wider implications for press access.
The White House Correspondents’ Association and nearly 50 other news organisations also filed a court brief supporting the challenge.
White House TV Pool Dispute
The confrontation had already disrupted the traditional White House television pool.
ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC normally rotate responsibility for filming presidential events and sharing the footage with other broadcasters.
After CNN was barred from the White House, the other four networks declined to replace it for scheduled pool coverage.
The five networks said the public has an interest in receiving accurate and independent information about the government and argued that an administration should not restrict a news organisation simply because it objects to its reporting.
The dispute also coincided with the White House launch of Trump TV, a 24-hour digital streaming channel carrying selected footage, speeches and other material from the administration.
The White House has described the service as a way to provide its “top videos, major remarks, and must-see highlights” in real time.
Trump Ordered to Restore White House Access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico
Thursday’s ruling does not settle the broader constitutional dispute. Instead, it temporarily restores the three organisations’ access while the court considers the case further.
For CNN, MS NOW and Politico, the decision means their journalists can regain their White House credentials for now. For the Trump administration, the ruling places the government’s approach to press access under continued judicial scrutiny.
The case could ultimately have wider implications for how presidential administrations manage access to the White House while balancing security considerations with constitutional protections for journalism and due process.
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