White House ordered by judge to restore access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico

The White House has been ordered by a judge to restore access to news outlets banned by US President Donald Trump.

Trump posted on his Truth Social media platform on Friday to announce, "I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW … and Politico … from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!”

On Thursday, US District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the White House to immediately restore access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico, saying Trump’s ban of the three news outlets from the White House was most likely unconstitutional.

Judge Kelly issued a 14-day temporary restraining order, giving the outlets two weeks’ access to the White House while their legal challenge with Trump proceeds.

He rejected the White House’s argument that the news outlets were banned due to concerns over national security. Kelly said the White House offered little proof to back up the claim.

He wrote that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed in their lawsuit against the Trump administration, at least on the grounds that their credentials were revoked last week without due process.

Trump said last week that he was tired of reading what he called "fake news."

Trump bars CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House as they question his pro-war policies

US President Donald Trump has barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, accusing the outlets of unfair coverage and criticism of his administration.

The ban, announced on September 18, 2026, marked a dramatic escalation in Trump’s long-running feud with the media.

The three outlets, CNN, MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), and Politico, were formally notified of the ban through a Truth Social post in which Trump declared he was “banning Fake News” from the White House.

The following morning, Secret Service personnel turned away journalists from all three organizations when they attempted to enter the White House compound.

In response, the three outlets filed a lawsuit on Monday, September 21, in federal court in Washington, arguing that the ban constituted viewpoint discrimination and a “blatant violation” of the First Amendment. They argued they were singled out purely because of the content of their coverage.

The Trump administration defended the ban in court, with Justice Department attorney Michael Velchik arguing that “access to the White House is a privilege, not a right” and that the president had the authority to decide who enters.

The administration also claimed the ban was motivated by national security concerns, but Judge Kelly rejected this assertion, noting that Trump himself had stated the ban was due to the “alleged lack of truthfulness and negativity” of the outlets’ reporting.

This is not the first time Judge Kelly, who was nominated by Trump in 2017, has ruled against the administration in a press access case.

In 2018, Kelly ordered the restoration of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta’s White House access after it was revoked following a tense exchange with Trump.

The 2018 ruling established a precedent that journalists are entitled to due process before their press passes can be revoked.

The ruling also came amid widespread solidarity from other media organizations. In protest of the ban, the remainder of the White House television pool announced it would suspend coverage of Trump.

Additionally, 49 media organizations, including CBS News, The New York Times, and even Fox News, filed a legal brief in support of CNN, MS NOW, and Politico’s lawsuit.

The legal battle unfolded just weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, with Trump’s approval ratings at record lows amid concerns over the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran and rising inflation.

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