Federal Judge Orders Trump Administration to Restore White House Access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico

 

WASHINGTON — A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore White House press access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico after President Donald Trump banned the outlets.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued the order early Thursday, September 24, directing officials to immediately return, reinstate and restore the journalists’ White House credentials.

The order came after CNN, MS NOW and Politico challenged the administration’s decision in federal court, arguing that their exclusion violated constitutional protections and established press-access procedures.

Trump announced the ban on September 18, accusing the three organizations of publishing what he described as “fake news” about his administration.

The outlets were subsequently prevented from entering White House grounds, and some journalists had their press credentials confiscated by the Secret Service.

The dispute quickly expanded into a constitutional case, with the media organizations arguing that the government had punished them because of their reporting and denied them adequate opportunity to challenge the decision.

The administration defended the restrictions by citing alleged national-security concerns, false reporting and the publication of sensitive information, according to court filings.

Judge Kelly, however, wrote that the administration had not provided sufficient evidence connecting the cited reporting to a national-security justification for revoking the journalists’ credentials.

The judge also concluded that the plaintiffs had demonstrated a strong likelihood of succeeding on their claim that the government failed to provide constitutionally required due process.

Kelly cited previous appellate decisions establishing that journalists generally must receive notice and an opportunity to contest the withdrawal of government-issued press access.

The ruling does not represent a final decision on the media organizations’ broader First Amendment claims. Instead, it temporarily preserves access while the underlying lawsuit continues.

Kelly’s temporary restraining order remains in effect for 14 days, giving the court additional time to consider whether longer-lasting restrictions should be imposed or continued.

The ruling initially produced confusion at the White House, where reporters from the three organizations were still turned away Thursday morning despite the overnight court order.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico subsequently sought an emergency hearing, saying the government was not complying with the judge’s directive.

White House officials said the credential-restoration process had begun early Thursday morning and that the affected badges were eventually reactivated.

By around midday, reporters from all three organizations had regained access to the White House grounds and resumed coverage from inside the complex.

The confrontation occurred as Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House, making press access particularly significant because television networks rely on a shared White House coverage pool.

The ban had already disrupted that pool, with major television networks suspending participation in solidarity after CNN was removed from its scheduled role.

The dispute has therefore affected more than the three organizations directly involved, raising broader questions about how presidential administrations determine which journalists receive access to the White House.

The Trump administration has indicated that it intends to continue defending its position in court, while the media organizations are seeking longer-term protection for their access.

The next major deadline comes September 28, when the plaintiffs are scheduled to seek a preliminary injunction that could maintain their access while the broader lawsuit proceeds.

The court fight is therefore continuing despite the reporters’ return to the White House, with unresolved questions surrounding press access, due process and the administration’s stated national-security rationale.

For now, CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters have returned to the White House under the temporary order, while the federal court prepares to consider the next stage of the dispute.