By Rajwa Quasim
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to immediately restore White House access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and politico and temporarily blocked Trump’s decision to ban the three news outlets from White House.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued the orders on early Thursday in response to a lawsuit the news organizations filed challenging the ban. The ruling also prevents the administration from enforcing the ban for 14 days while the case continues.
Trump had announced the ban on Sep.18, accusing the three news organization of repeatedly publishing what he described as “fiction and lies” about the president. The lawyers representing the Justice Department defended the move on national security grounds. However, Judge Kelly said the government had not provided enough factual evidence to show that removing the journalists’ access was necessary for national security. He further pointed Trump himself cited reason for ban due to “inaccuracy” reporting and not “national security,” initially.
READ: Trump TV launches as White House bars CNN, Politico and MS NOW from press access (September 22, 2026)
Judge Kelly said, “The record lacks factual support for defendants’ contention that the revocation of plaintiffs’ hard passes will in fact protect national security or that national security will be endangered if the court orders their passes reinstated while this litigation proceeds.”
Theodore Boutrous Jr., attorney for the outlets welcomed court’s decision and said, “This is a strong ruling vindicating freedom of the press, due process and the rule of law. We greatly appreciate the court’s swift action.” Reacting to the ‘national security reasons,’ he further added, “Suddenly it’s a national security case,” arguing that the president brought up that point only after the lawsuit was filed.”
Boustrous argued during the hearing that outlets needed their White House access restored quickly as ban caused serious harm at a time major global events are taking place. He pointed to the ongoing war and visit of world leaders to Washington.
The lawsuit calls the ban a direct assault on the First Amendment. The outlets argue that it has already hampered their ability to cover the administration. They contend that the ban violates due process because they received no prior notice or hearing and were not given a clear standard for the decision.
READ: CNN, MS NOW and Politico sue Trump over White House press ban (September 21, 2026)
Kelly cited two previous rulings by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which established that journalists must be given due process before their White House credentials can be revoked, which is not given in this case.
Meanwhile Justice Department attorney Michael Velchik said argued that access to the White House is a privilege and not a right and Trump has the right to choose whom to let in and not to.
CNN is one of the major television network that were part of White House press pool. After CNN was banned from the press pool duties, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News suspended the usual television pool arrangement in solidarity.
Major news organizations, including Reuters and Fox News filed a brief supporting the three outlets on Wednesday. It said, “tripping journalists and news outlets of their rights because of perceived editorial viewpoint violates decades of Supreme Court jurisprudence.”