Judge blocks Trump’s White House ban on CNN, MS NOW, Politico
Judge orders trump to restore access to media outlets
A federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump to restore White House access to journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, saying his ban on the outlets was likely unconstitutional.
A federal judge blocked President Donald Trump’s move to bar three news organizations from the White House complex, ordering officials to immediately restore access to CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
Big picture view:
The decision is a short-term victory for the outlets in the clash between President Trump and reporters whose coverage he has repeatedly attacked. Trump announced the ban last week, denouncing the organizations as "fake news," and claiming their reporting posed national security concerns.
The backstory:
The outlets sued, arguing the administration had singled them out over the content of their journalism, violating the First Amendment and stripping their press credentials without any meaningful process.
The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House is seen in Washington, DC, on September 21, 2026. (Photo by Alex WROBLEWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)
What we know:
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly agreed they were likely to prevail. In a late-night order, he directed the White House to "return, reinstate, and restore" their access for at least 14 days under a temporary restraining order. Kelly wrote that the government failed to provide clear standards for conduct that could justify revoking a press pass.
Kelly, a Trump appointee who issued a similar ruling restoring a CNN reporter’s access in 2018, said the outlets had met the high bar required for emergency relief.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Associated Press. This story was reported from Orlando.