Photo: The White House from Washington, DC | Public domain | Wikimedia Commons
White House Media Ban Fight Widens As Outlets Seek Broader Court Order
CNN, MS NOW and Politico asked a federal judge on Monday, September 28, 2026, to bar the White House from enforcing its access ban while their constitutional challenge proceeds in Washington, D.C.[1]
The 42-page motion seeks a preliminary injunction, saying the White House has "persisted in unpredictably and inconsistently implementing its ban" and pointing to CNN's exclusion from an Air Force One pool assignment after Judge Timothy Kelly's temporary restraining order took effect.[1] Lead counsel Theodore Boutrous called the ban "a blatant violation of the First Amendment and due process." NPR Attorney General Todd Blanche has reiterated that White House access is "a privilege, and not a right." NPR
On September 21, 2026, the White House circulated a memo titled "White House Highlights" to House and Senate Republicans defending the decision to bar the three outlets.[2] The administration also launched a 24/7 YouTube channel called "Trump TV" as it moved to bypass mainstream outlets, and the Justice Department later filed court papers accusing the outlets of trafficking in "verifiable falsehoods" and publishing sensitive information.[3][4] U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly held an emergency hearing on September 23 and then issued a 14-day temporary restraining order restoring hard-pass access on due-process grounds.[5] Several reporters were nonetheless briefly blocked at the gate the morning after Kelly's order, and Chinese state media were admitted to White House grounds during President Xi Jinping's visit while CNN was not immediately restored to the small presidential TV pool.[6][7]
Early administration filings framed the expulsions as measures to protect national security and enforce basic standards of professionalism, but Judge Kelly and press-rights groups pressed the court to treat the revocations as likely retaliatory and procedurally deficient.[4][8][9] The outlets' injunction motion asks Judge Kelly to extend protection beyond the TRO's October 8 expiration while the underlying First and Fifth Amendment claims are litigated.[1]
Show source details & analysis (27 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- President Trump barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House grounds, calling them “Fake News” and citing what he described as two years of unfair or negative coverage (President Trump).
- The DOJ filing defending the ban argued that access to the White House is a privilege, not a right, and attached Sept. 22 letters accusing the outlets of “trafficking in verifiable falsehoods” and publishing sensitive or classified information while giving the outlets a Sept. 25 deadline to respond (DOJ filing).
- U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly held an emergency hearing on Sept. 23, 2026, cited past press‑access precedent, expressed skepticism about the administration’s due‑process and national‑security rationale, and signaled he might quickly restore credentials while the case proceeds (U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly).
- In the early hours of Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, the court issued a 14‑day temporary restraining order restoring hard‑pass access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico and found the outlets were likely to succeed on their Fifth Amendment due‑process claim (temporary restraining order).
- Despite Judge Kelly’s order, some MS NOW, CNN and Politico journalists were initially denied entry at the White House gate on the morning of Sept. 24 (for example, MS NOW reporter Laura Barrón‑López had her pass confiscated) though many were later admitted that day and officials did not immediately explain the inconsistency (MS NOW reporter Laura Barrón-López).
- During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Sept. 24 visit, Chinese state‑media journalists were allowed on the White House grounds while some American reporters were briefly blocked, and CNN was not immediately restored to the small rotating television pool that provides daily presidential video (Chinese state-media journalists).
- The White House left CNN off Air Force One for President Trump’s Sept. 26 trip to Knoxville — replacing the usual network pooler with Real America's Voice — and the judge’s TRO did not explicitly address Air Force One or pool duties, creating a fresh point of contention (Air Force One).
- Late on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a 42‑page motion seeking a preliminary injunction to bar the White House from enforcing its access ban while the litigation continues, arguing the administration has “persisted in unpredictably and inconsistently implementing its ban” and noting the TRO expires Oct. 8, 2026 (preliminary injunction).
- The White House circulated a memo titled “White House Highlights” to House and Senate Republicans defending the ban, asserting that the First Amendment protects publication but “does not entitle certain outlets” to hard passes and claiming no freestanding constitutional right of access to the White House complex (White House Highlights).
- The administration also launched a 24/7 YouTube channel called “Trump TV” on the night of Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, as part of efforts to bypass mainstream outlets; its initial programming included President Trump’s July 3, 2026 Mt. Rushmore speech (Trump TV).
📰 Source Timeline (27)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
September 29, 2026
10:37 AM
3 news outlets seek extension of ban on their being blocked from White House
New information:
- On Monday, September 28, 2026, CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a motion seeking a preliminary injunction to keep the White House from reinstating their access ban until the lawsuit is fully resolved, beyond the current temporary restraining order that expires October 8.
- The outlets' filing alleges the White House has "persisted in unpredictably and inconsistently implementing its ban," including barring CNN from its scheduled role as broadcast pool network on September 26, 2026.
- The filing notes that other broadcast networks suspended the television pool in solidarity after CNN was initially removed from pool duties when the ban began, and that the pool rotation has become a new point of contention.
- Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the administration on ABC on Sunday, September 27, 2026, reiterating the position that access to the White House is a privilege, not a right.
- U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly signaled at last week’s hearing that he was skeptical of the ban because the outlets were not given due process before their hard passes were revoked.
8:13 AM
News organizations ask court to bar White House enforcement of access ban
New information:
- Late Monday, September 28, 2026, CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a 42-page motion seeking a preliminary injunction to bar the White House from enforcing its access ban while their case proceeds.
- The outlets argued that the White House has "persisted in unpredictably and inconsistently implementing its ban," citing the September 26 exclusion of CNN from its role as television pooler despite Judge Timothy Kelly's temporary restraining order.
- The motion notes that Kelly's two-week temporary restraining order, issued last week restoring their access, expires on October 8, 2026, and asks the court to extend protection until the underlying case is resolved.
- Attorney Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., lead counsel for the outlets, called the ban "a blatant violation of the First Amendment and due process" and characterized it as retaliation and viewpoint discrimination.
- Attorney General Todd Blanche reiterated on ABC on Sunday, September 27, 2026, that White House access is "a privilege, and not a right," signaling the administration does not intend to abandon the ban policy.
September 26, 2026
4:35 PM
CNN says it was left off Air Force One for Trump's Saturday trip to a college football game
New information:
- On Saturday, September 26, 2026, President Trump traveled on Air Force One to Knoxville, Tennessee, for a college football game between the University of Tennessee and the University of Texas with no TV network pool on board.
- White House guidance issued late Friday, September 25, 2026, replaced CNN in the usual U.S. network video pool seat on Air Force One with Real America's Voice, which is not a member of the five-network TV pool.
- A Saturday morning pool report confirmed there was 'no TV pool' for the Knoxville trip, meaning no pooled television coverage of the president's travel or event.
- The article confirms that the judge's temporary restraining order restoring CNN, MS NOW and Politico's hard-pass access did not explicitly address pool duties or Air Force One access, and that the White House has not responded to Associated Press requests for comment on the exclusion.
- On the morning of September 26, 2026, Trump posted on social media that 'FAKE NEWS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE WHITE HOUSE!!! IT HAS GONE ON FAR TOO LONG, AT A TREMENDOUS COST TO OUR COUNTRY.'
- The piece details that on Friday, September 25, 2026, CNN resumed TV pool duties at the National Archives event with Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping after the pool boycott ended and their credentials were approved.
4:42 AM
CNN left off Air Force One for Trump's upcoming trip, White House signals in new media restriction
New information:
- On Friday night, September 25, 2026, White House guidance indicated CNN would be left off Air Force One for President Trump's Saturday, September 26 trip to Knoxville, Tennessee, to attend a University of Tennessee–University of Texas football game.
- CNN was replaced on the Air Force One trip by Real America's Voice News, a conservative outlet that is not part of the traditional five-member U.S. network video pool.
- Judge Timothy Kelly's overnight temporary restraining order restored CNN, MS NOW and Politico's hard-pass access to the White House grounds but did not explicitly address Air Force One or pool duties, creating a gray area the White House is now using.
- Earlier on September 25, CNN resumed its role in the U.S. network video pool, airing live footage of Trump and China's Xi Jinping touring the National Archives in Washington after the White House approved CNN's credentials for that event.
- Media-pool participants had previously declined to operate the pool in solidarity after CNN, MS NOW and Politico were banned from the White House grounds; following Kelly's order, the pool briefly returned to normal operations before the Air Force One exclusion emerged.
September 25, 2026
4:34 PM
White House TV pool is back in operation after a dayslong ban of news outlets from grounds
New information:
- On Friday, September 25, 2026, the U.S. network TV pool for the White House resumed normal operation for the first time since President Trump banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the grounds.
- A person familiar with the TV pool said 'all systems are go,' indicating the five-network pool is again shooting and sharing video, including events with President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
- CNN received and used a pool assignment at the National Archives event with Xi on September 25, 2026, and an Associated Press journalist observed CNN preparing on site after the White House approved its credentials.
- The daily White House press schedule listed CBS as a pool outlet on September 25, confirming that non-boycotting networks have resumed pool participation after several days of solidarity refusal.
12:38 AM
In Trump’s White House, China’s Dictator Is Welcome. American Media, Less So.
New information:
- On Thursday, September 24, 2026, during President Xi Jinping's White House visit, Chinese state-media journalists were allowed onto the grounds while several American reporters were initially blocked from entering on President Trump's orders.
- Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico who were turned away at the White House gate on the morning of September 24 were allowed in later that day, despite an existing federal court order that should have ensured access from the outset.
- As of late afternoon on September 24, the White House still had not returned CNN to the small rotating television pool that provides daily video of the president, even though other access for the outlet had been restored.
- A White House pool report noted that at one point on September 24 President Trump "made a joke about how the Chinese had the friendliest press corps" while Chinese media covered the visit from inside the grounds.
September 24, 2026
5:38 PM
MS NOW and CNN reporters regain access to White House after judge's order
New information:
- On Thursday, September 24, 2026, CBS video footage showed MS NOW and CNN reporters back inside the White House following the federal judge's temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration's ban.
- The clip notes that the same journalists had been denied access earlier in the day on September 24 before regaining entry after the order took effect.
1:24 PM
Judge orders White House to restore access to CNN, MS NOW and Politico. Reporters say they're still blocked
New information:
- In a late-night order issued Wednesday, September 23, 2026, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly granted a 14-day temporary restraining order requiring the White House to 'immediately return, reinstate, and restore' CNN, MS NOW, and Politico hard-pass access.
- Kelly held that the outlets met the legal standard for a temporary restraining order and were likely to succeed on their claim that their press passes were revoked without due process, criticizing the administration’s written standards as 'so vague it hardly does the trick.'
- Kelly explicitly wrote that 'nothing in the record' suggests the revocations were motivated by national security concerns, noting that Trump initially justified the bans on 'fake news' and negative coverage rather than security.
- Several hours after the order took effect early Thursday, September 24, 2026, reporters from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico said they were still being denied entry to the White House.
- At the Wednesday emergency hearing preceding the ruling, outlets’ attorney Theodore Boutrous argued there was an urgent need for renewed access 'at a time of momentous news events,' citing that 'we're at war' and world leaders are in Washington, while DOJ lawyer Michael Velchik reiterated the administration’s position that 'access to the White House is a privilege, not a right.'
1:23 PM
Judge blocks Trump's ban of some journalists from White House for now
New information:
- CBS segment on September 24, 2026, reiterates that a federal judge has temporarily blocked President Trump's ban on CNN, Politico and MS NOW journalists from the White House, restoring their access for now.
- The piece frames the ruling as a temporary block that restores the outlets' ability to enter White House grounds to cover the president, without adding new procedural detail beyond earlier written reports.
- Article publication time (8:23 a.m. Central on September 24, 2026) confirms the order is already in effect that morning as a practical constraint on the ban.
1:02 PM
Some MS NOW, CNN and Politico journalists denied White House access despite overnight ruling
New information:
- On Thursday morning, September 24, 2026, some MS NOW, CNN and Politico journalists were still denied White House access despite Judge Timothy Kelly's order issued earlier that day restoring their passes for at least 14 days.
- MS NOW White House reporter Laura Barrón-López and one MS NOW producer were denied entry and had their passes confiscated, while a second MS NOW producer was allowed access.
- Politico reported at least one of its reporters was blocked from entering the White House on Thursday morning, and CNN said some staffers were denied while at least one was allowed in.
- Judge Kelly's written order directed that reporters from MS NOW, CNN and Politico "should all immediately regain access to the White House campus for at least 14 days" on due process grounds and suggested the ban is likely unconstitutional.
- As of the article's publication, the White House and U.S. Secret Service had not responded to requests for comment about the apparent inconsistency with the court order.
10:05 AM
White House ordered to restore access to banned news outlets
New information:
- Axios reports on Thursday, September 24, 2026, that the White House has been ordered to restore hard-pass access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico following their ban.
- The article characterizes the action as the White House being "ordered" to restore access, reinforcing that the TRO is now operational rather than merely anticipated.
6:21 AM
Judge orders Trump administration to restore journalists' access to White House
New information:
- Judge Timothy Kelly's written ruling was issued shortly after midnight Thursday, September 24, 2026, granting a 14-day temporary restraining order restoring hard-pass access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
- Kelly wrote that the court is "skeptical — at least on this record" that the administration's asserted national-security rationale is the actual motivation for revoking the outlets' hard passes.
- The judge noted the administration provided no evidence showing how any of the cited reporting damaged national security and emphasized that the reporters who authored the identified stories did not themselves hold hard passes.
- President Trump told reporters on Friday, September 18, 2026, that the ban was not triggered by a specific story but by what he described as "two years of unfair and negative coverage," while DOJ's Wednesday, September 23 filing instead framed the issue as national security and falsehoods.
6:04 AM
Judge orders White House to restore press access to MS NOW, CNN and Politico
New information:
- On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order requiring the Trump administration to immediately restore White House hard-pass access for MS NOW, CNN and Politico for at least 14 days.
- Kelly explicitly found the outlets are likely to succeed on their Fifth Amendment procedural due process claim, writing that their hard passes were revoked without constitutionally adequate process.
- Kelly rejected the administration's request to stay his ruling, meaning his order took effect immediately after the hearing.
- In his written opinion, Kelly said there was nothing in the pre-lawsuit record to suggest the revocations were motivated by national security concerns, casting doubt on that justification.
- The article reports that President Trump publicly said on Truth Social on Monday, September 21, 2026, that he would 'almost without question' appeal any loss and argued that 'Fake News' outlets should not be allowed access to the Oval Office.
- The piece notes that because the ruling is a temporary restraining order, it is generally not appealable, though the Trump administration has recently attempted appeals of similar interim orders in other cases.
- The article underscores that the plaintiffs' lawyers argued in the Wednesday virtual hearing that the ban constitutes unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination under the First Amendment, while the government pointed to post-hoc letters sent Tuesday as alleged due process.
5:44 AM
Judge blocks Trump's ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico, restoring White House access
New information:
- In the early hours of Thursday, September 24, 2026, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued an order temporarily blocking senior Trump administration officials from barring CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.
- Kelly's order grants temporary relief that requires the immediate restoration of the three outlets' press credentials and access to the White House grounds.
- The temporary order will remain in effect while CNN, MS NOW and Politico pursue their constitutional challenge to President Trump's ban on their access based on coverage of his administration.
September 23, 2026
10:50 PM
Xi arrives for state visit amid U.S.-China trade tensions and AI concerns
New information:
- On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, a U.S. District Judge in Washington held a hearing on the lawsuit by CNN, MS NOW and Politico challenging President Trump's ban on their access to the White House.
- PBS reports the judge said at the outset he was skeptical of the Trump administration's due process arguments and appeared to believe the outlets' due process rights were violated in the credential revocations.
- The administration's latest filing, submitted late on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, argued the outlets failed to maintain 'basic minimum standards of professionalism and decorum' and posed national security risks, which the judge also seemed skeptical about during the hearing.
- As of the end of the hearing on September 23, the judge had not yet ruled on whether to lift the ban and restore the outlets' White House access.
10:40 PM
Judge considers restoring journalists' access to White House after Trump's ban
New information:
- On Wednesday afternoon, September 23, 2026, U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly held an emergency hearing on CNN, MS NOW and Politico's lawsuit challenging their White House ban.
- Kelly said in his introductory remarks that it appeared the White House had violated the outlets' constitutional right to due process as set out in prior press-access decisions.
- Kelly indicated he was inclined to order the White House to at least temporarily restore the press passes while he considers the case, though he did not rule from the bench.
- Justice Department lawyer Michael Velchik argued at the hearing that access to the White House is a privilege rather than a right and cited national security as a justification for the ban.
- Boutrous argued the ban was retaliatory viewpoint discrimination and said exclusion during wartime and on the eve of Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping causes irreparable harm to the outlets and the public.
- The DOJ's legal filings, referenced in argument, attach White House letters criticizing specific stories, including reporting on a "top secret" bunker under the White House ballroom, talks with Iran, and coverage of the Republican convention.
- Kelly told the parties he would consider both sides and issue a decision as soon as possible but offered no specific timeline.
8:49 PM
Judge skeptical of Trump's White House ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico
New information:
- On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly said in a hearing that precedent from Sherrill v. Knight (1977) and Karem v. Trump (2022) applies and that the process outlined in those cases "wasn't followed here" when CNN, MS NOW and Politico lost White House access.
- Kelly questioned how DOJ letters sent after the outlets' credentials were revoked could provide meaningful notice of standards, saying a letter received after a pass is revoked is just a piece of paper saying "You've already violated this."
- DOJ lawyer Michael Velchik argued in court that "access to the White House is a privilege, not a right" and rejected the claim that the ban is viewpoint discrimination, noting that other media outlets Trump criticizes still retain access.
- Attorney Ted Boutrous, representing the outlets, argued the government’s national-security rationale was a "post hoc" justification that did not match Trump’s own public explanations and that the letters announced "after-the-fact standards."
- The DOJ letters to the outlets alleged violations of "standards of professionalism and decorum" including "trafficking in verifiable falsehoods" and "publishing sensitive or classified information," and gave them until Friday, September 25, 2026 at 5 p.m. to respond, but that notice came only after passes were revoked.
- Kelly held a hearing on the outlets’ request for a temporary restraining order to immediately restore their employees' access to the White House complex, but did not issue a ruling from the bench during the session described.
8:24 PM
Federal judge delays ruling on Trump’s ban of MS NOW, CNN and Politico from White House
New information:
- On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly held a virtual hearing on the lawsuit by MS NOW, CNN and Politico but did not rule from the bench on restoring their White House credentials.
- During the hearing, lawyers for MS NOW, CNN and Politico argued that the expulsions are unconstitutional, violate the First Amendment and Fifth Amendment due process, and irreparably curtail the outlets' ability to gather and publish news from the White House.
- A government attorney argued in court and in filings that President Trump has authority to regulate press access to the White House and claimed the actions were not retaliatory because the administration would have taken the same step regardless of the outlets' critical coverage.
- In letters dated Tuesday, September 22, 2026, the White House Press Office told MS NOW, CNN and Politico that their access was revoked for allegedly violating 'standards of professionalism and decorum,' including by 'trafficking in verifiable falsehoods' and publishing 'sensitive or classified information.'
- The plaintiffs' complaint asserts that the ban chills other journalists' speech by forcing them to weigh critical coverage against the risk of losing White House access.
8:19 PM
Trump administration's ban of three prominent news outlets from White House is in court
New information:
- On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly held arguments in Washington, D.C., on whether President Trump's ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House grounds violates the Constitution.
- A late-Tuesday administration court filing asserted that 'access to the White House is a privilege — not a right' and claimed the three outlets threatened national security by 'trafficking in verifiable falsehoods' and publishing sensitive or classified information.
- The filing detailed specific 'reporting incidents' for each outlet, including CNN's reporting on 'top-secret' East Wing bunker construction, MS NOW's story on an alleged leak investigation, and Politico's publication of a White House ballroom funding document with security-related details.
- The Politico letter cited a June background briefing on a preliminary Iran deal where a 'senior administration official' was granted anonymity under White House-set ground rules, even though several outlets reported the same remarks.
- President Trump on Tuesday at the U.N. publicly defended the ban by saying, 'I think we have a right to clean out fake news,' and said negative coverage was dangerous for the country.
- On Wednesday, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, the White House Correspondents' Association, and 49 media outlets and industry groups filed an amicus brief urging Kelly to immediately restore access, arguing the expulsions are unconstitutional viewpoint-based discrimination.
- The five-network TV pool has suspended coverage of Trump events, leaving pool slots blank on recent daily schedules, and some outlets refrained from publishing photos of the president in protest.
7:24 PM
Trump’s White House press ban is dividing Republicans on Capitol Hill
New information:
- By September 23, 2026, multiple Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill publicly criticized Trump's White House ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico reporters, while others defended it.
- Sen. John Kennedy said he agrees the media is biased but called the ban "cancel culture" and said, "You have to treat everybody the same in terms of their access to government," advising Trump simply not to speak with reporters he dislikes.
- Sen. Thom Tillis labeled the president's decision "silly" and said, "The best antidote for a tough press question is a good answer," noting he had criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for similar conduct.
- Sen. Lisa Murkowski called the ban a move in "the wrong direction" and said she wants "more openness from the White House on all matters" and needs "somebody with a microphone and a camera" to translate that.
- Rep. Mike Simpson said, "you should never ban the press" and argued that disliking coverage is not a reason to bar outlets, adding, "The press is what keeps us honest."
- Sen. Ron Johnson strongly defended the ban, accusing the media, without evidence, of "literally aiding and abetting" U.S. enemies and being "so fricking negative" about the Iran war, and said he understands why Trump would not want those outlets "into his workspace."
- Sen. Josh Hawley said he would "defer" to the president and that the White House should be able to determine "what cameras are in the White House," predicting the issue "will be litigated."
- Sen. John Barrasso said he did not believe the White House was violating the Constitution and pivoted to Twitter/X's 2021 decision to ban Trump, saying he believes the press has an obligation to report fairly.
1:15 PM
DOJ defends Trump media ban, citing national security and "professionalism"
New information:
- On Tuesday, September 22, 2026, Justice Department lawyers filed a brief in federal district court in Washington, D.C., defending President Trump's decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.
- The DOJ filing argues that access to the White House is a privilege, not a right, and says the government has two compelling interests in denying access: enforcing minimum standards of journalistic professionalism and protecting classified information.
- The administration told the court that, in the president's view, basic standards require calling for comment and that publishing classified or sensitive national security information is a significant violation of decorum.
- The Justice Department submitted letters dated Tuesday from the White House press office to each outlet, formally notifying them that their reporters' hard passes were revoked and giving them until 5 p.m. Friday, September 25, 2026, to respond.
- Those White House letters accuse the outlets of trafficking in "verifiable falsehoods" about national security and other issues and of publishing sensitive or classified information, and they cite alleged violations of "standards of professionalism and decorum."
- The DOJ characterizes the new letters and response window as providing notice and an opportunity to be heard, seeking to counter the outlets' Fifth Amendment due process claims.
- The article confirms that U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly will hold a hearing Wednesday afternoon, September 23, 2026, on the outlets' request for an order restoring their credentials.
- The outlets' lawsuit calls the ban a direct assault on the First Amendment, alleges viewpoint discrimination intended to coerce more favorable coverage and deter other reporters, and names Trump, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Communications Director Steven Cheung and Secret Service head Sean Curran as defendants.
9:06 AM
DOJ defends White House media ban, urges court to reject lawsuit
New information:
- Late Tuesday, September 22, 2026, the Department of Justice filed a brief in federal court in Washington, D.C., asking the judge to deny CNN, MS NOW, and Politico’s request to restore their White House access.
- The DOJ filing attached Sept. 22 White House letters accusing the three outlets of 'trafficking in verifiable falsehoods about national security and other issues' and 'publishing sensitive or classified information.'
- The filing argues President Trump revoked access because he concluded the outlets failed to maintain 'basic minimum standards of professionalism and decorum' and reiterates that 'access to the White House is a privilege – not a right.'
- The White House letters to CNN and MS NOW specifically cite reporting on East Wing bunker construction and alleged depletion of U.S. ammunition during the Iran war as jeopardizing national security or spreading falsehoods.
- The letter to Politico disputes its reporting on the Trump administration’s lifting of sanctions against Russia and calls its coverage of the GOP midterm convention in Dallas as 'a disaster' inaccurate.
- The letters are dated September 22, 2026, four days after the ban was imposed, and set a Friday deadline for the outlets to submit written complaints challenging the decision.
- An emergency session in the federal district court in Washington, D.C., is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, September 23, 2026, to consider the outlets’ request for immediate relief.
9:01 AM
Major news outlets banned by Trump will have their day in court
New information:
- On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly is scheduled to hold a hearing where CNN, MS NOW and Politico will ask for immediate restoration of their White House press credentials.
- The article confirms Judge Kelly is the same Trump-appointed judge who ruled for CNN reporter Jim Acosta in a 2018 press-pass case, a precedent that could influence this dispute.
- In a Truth Social post on Monday, September 21, 2026, Trump acknowledged Kelly may rule against him and vowed that the administration would "almost without question" appeal an adverse decision.
- Trump told reporters on Friday, September 18, 2026, that he is barring the outlets because of what he called two years of unfair and negative coverage, saying, "There's something wrong with a country that can allow people to write purposefully negative things."
- The article notes that on Monday, September 21, 2026, CNN was slated to serve as the TV pool for White House coverage, but after CNN was barred no other major network stepped in, and many competitors declined to air White House-supplied video, leaving the helipad ribbon-cutting to be shown only via an administration clip with largely inaudible audio.
- Lead plaintiffs' attorney Theodore J. Boutrous framed the ban as explicit punishment for disfavored reporting aimed at intimidating journalists and said it violates both First Amendment speech protections and Fifth Amendment due process.
3:49 AM
Trump administration defends White House media ban in court
New information:
- On Tuesday, September 22, 2026, the Trump administration filed a brief opposing MS NOW, CNN and Politico's request for a temporary restraining order to block their White House ban.
- The filing argues that 'access to the White House is a privilege — not a right' and claims the actions 'were not retaliatory because the Government would have taken the same action anyway, notwithstanding Plaintiffs’ speech criticizing the President.'
- Government lawyers say the outlets received 'adequate notice and post-deprivation process, including an opportunity to contest the President’s factual findings.'
- U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly is scheduled to hear arguments on the TRO request on Wednesday, September 23, 2026 (the day after the government filed its opposition).
- The outlets' lawsuit, filed Monday, September 21, 2026, alleges the ban violates the First Amendment and the Fifth Amendment's due process clause and seeks immediate restoration of access and credentials.
- The plaintiffs' brief argues the ban is unconstitutional retaliation for 'negative' coverage and cites Trump's statements preferring only favorable reporting as evidence of viewpoint-based discrimination.
- The article notes this is the first time a White House has banned entire news organizations from the premises, contrasting it with the 2018 individual-credential case involving CNN's Jim Acosta.
- The government revives its 2018 legal position that 'no journalist has a First Amendment right to enter the White House' and that the President need not satisfy First Amendment scrutiny when denying passes.
- The article recalls that in 2018 Judge Kelly ordered temporary restoration of Acosta's pass after finding a lack of due process and references earlier D.C. Circuit precedent holding the White House may not arbitrarily deny press credentials.
September 22, 2026
9:31 PM
White House launches 'Trump TV' after ban on major news outlets
New information:
- On Monday night, September 21, 2026, the White House launched a 24/7 YouTube channel called 'Trump TV' with the tagline 'The Essentials Station'.
- Trump TV’s initial programming opened with President Trump’s July 3, 2026 speech at Mt. Rushmore, in which he blamed 'newcomers to our country' for what he called 'a resurgence of the communist menace in our land.'
- The launch came days after President Trump’s Friday post on Truth Social announcing that CNN, MS NOW and Politico were barred from the White House as 'Fake News' spreading 'FICTION and LIES.'
- Major TV networks Fox News Media, ABC News, CBS News, NBC News and CNN issued a joint statement saying 'No administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting' and defending the public’s interest in accurate, independent information.
- In response to the ban, outlets participating in pooled White House coverage, including NPR, announced they would not take audio and video from White House events until further notice, while noting that coverage of Trump from non-boycotting sources would continue.
- Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly and California Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized Trump TV on social media as 'state run' media, with Newsom calling it 'truly autocratic behavior from a failed President.'
- A White House official, in an email response, mocked the 'state run media' label and compared it to calling Sen. Kelly’s own social media feed state-run media for 'a party of radical socialists.'
- Media-law scholar Jane Kirtley and political scientist Stephen Farnsworth are quoted describing the move as 'unprecedented' and as part of a broader effort by Trump to bypass mainstream media and directly control the narrative.
5:50 PM
Here are the talking points the White House sent Republicans on Trump’s media ban
New information:
- On Monday night, September 21, 2026, the White House emailed "White House Highlights" to GOP offices in the House and Senate containing talking points defending President Trump's ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House grounds.
- The talking points assert that "no president has been more transparent or offered more of his time to the press" and argue that the First Amendment protects publication but "does not entitle certain outlets" to hard passes, briefing room seats, or pool positions.
- The memo claims "no member of the public or the press has a freestanding constitutional right to access the White House complex" and accuses unnamed outlets of "fabricating facts or reporting verifiable falsehoods" from inside the complex, without citing specific examples.
- The White House cites the Biden administration's 2023 credentialing-policy changes as precedent, but the article notes that those changes did not impose a categorical ban and that reporters could still seek day passes.
- Gabe Rottman of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is quoted saying existing case law makes it "abundantly clear" the White House cannot bar press access based on viewpoint or the content of reporting, and that Trump's own public statements provide evidence the ban is viewpoint-based.