Judge Compels White House to Reopen Access for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico

Federal judge orders White House to restore access for major outlets, citing constitutional concerns over Trump's ban.

September 24, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — A federal court has mandated that the White House immediately reinstate press credentials for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, ruling that President Donald Trump’s recent decision to bar the outlets was likely unconstitutional.

The order came from U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, who issued a temporary restraining order allowing the outlets to regain access while their legal challenge continues. He concluded that the plaintiffs had a strong likelihood of success, particularly on the grounds that their credentials were revoked without proper due process.

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Trump had previously claimed the outlets published “fake news” and vowed to target other media organizations. However, the judge noted that the president did not dispute the fact that the outlets were not given notice or a chance to respond before their access was revoked. The White House had also argued the ban was tied to national security, but the court rejected this reasoning, highlighting that Trump’s public statements focused on the outlets’ alleged bias and negativity rather than security concerns.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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