Judge orders White House to restore access to news outlets Trump banned
A U.S. federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order requiring the White House to restore press access to CNN, MS NOW, and Politico. The outlets had been banned by President Trump, who cited 'fake news' as the reason for the exclusion.
Why it matters
The ruling underscores the legal protections for media access to the White House and the ongoing tension between the executive branch and the press.
A federal judge early on Thursday (September 24, 2026) temporarily blocked U.S. President Donald Trump's move to ban three news outlets from the White House grounds and said CNN , MS NOW and Politico must have their access restored.
It's the latest development in an escalating showdown between President Donald Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes. Mr. Trump announced he was banning the outlets on September 18, assailing what he called “fake news.” More recently, the president has said negative coverage was dangerous for the country.
The outlets argued they were singled out because of the content of their coverage — in other words, viewpoint discrimination — and called the ban a “blatant violation” of the First Amendment.
Also covering this story
12 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Trump’s bid to keep CNN, Politico, and MS NOW out of the White House has hit a snag
Donald Trump scolds CNN anchor for covering him at the UN
White House press ban
China's US Ambassador Warns On 'Red Lines' Ahead Of Trump, Xi Meeting
From tariff overlord to tarmac man, Trump to roll out red carpet for Xi
US judge leaves White House media ban in place for now
What is the White House press pool and why is it in a row with Trump?
Rubio defends Trump’s banning media organizations, arguing there aren’t ‘soldiers kicking down the doors’ of the outlets
A journalist once barred from the White House says this media ban is different
China's Xi Jinping to meet with Trump at White House this week
Trump cites national security, midterms coverage to defend press ban - Politico
Trump's White House media ban faces long odds in court, legal experts say
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in