US Judge Blocks Trump’s White House Media Ban, Orders Access Restored

A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, ordering the administration to restore the news organizations’ access while their legal challenge continues. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a 14-day temporary restraining order early Thursday, September 24, requiring the Trump administration to immediately return and reinstate the journalists’ White House press credentials.

Kelly found that the media organizations were likely to succeed in arguing that their press credentials had been revoked without constitutionally adequate due process. He also questioned the administration’s claim that national security concerns justified the ban.

“The record lacks factual support” for the argument that revoking the journalists’ credentials would protect national security, Kelly wrote in his ruling.

Trump announced the ban on September 18, accusing the three outlets of producing what he described as false and negative coverage. The administration later argued in court that the outlets’ reporting posed national security concerns.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico sued Trump and members of his administration, arguing that the ban violated their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and freedom of the press, as well as their Fifth Amendment due-process rights. The judge’s order is temporary and does not resolve the underlying lawsuit. The 14-day restriction on enforcing the ban is intended to preserve the outlets’ access while the court considers the broader legal dispute.

However, the situation remained unsettled even after the ruling. Reuters reported that journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were still denied entry to the White House hours after the judge ordered their access restored. The outlets subsequently sought an immediate hearing over the continued restrictions.

The case represents another legal confrontation between the Trump administration and news organizations over access to the White House and the constitutional protections surrounding press freedom.

For now, the judge’s order means the three outlets are to have their White House access restored for the duration of the temporary order, while the wider legal battle continues.