On September 18, 2026, President Donald Trump made a public declaration that he was barring journalists from three specific news organizations—CNN, MS NOW, and Politico—from entering the White House to cover his administration. The announcement was not merely a rhetorical flourish; it was followed by an administrative decision to revoke the so‑called “hard pass” credentials that allow reporters to move freely across the presidential complex. By targeting these three organizations, the administration signaled a selective restriction of access that would affect their daily reporting routines.
Just three days later, on September 21, 2026, the affected outlets responded by filing a lawsuit in federal court. Their complaint argued that the executive action violated two constitutional protections: the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of the press, and the Fifth Amendment, which ensures due process before the government can deprive individuals of a protected interest. The lawsuit asked the court to halt the enforcement of the ban and to restore the journalists’ press badges while the case proceeded. The filing framed the dispute as a fundamental test of whether the president could unilaterally exclude critical voices from the White House press room.
Responding swiftly to the lawsuit, Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order on September 24, 2026. The order reinstated the press credentials of the employees from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, effectively returning the situation to the status quo that existed before the September 18 announcement. In his order, the judge directed the Trump administration not to execute, implement, or enforce the decision to revoke the hard passes. This interim measure prevented the ban from taking effect while the court examined the merits of the outlets’ constitutional claims, preserving their ability to report from the White House pending further proceedings.
Responding swiftly to the lawsuit, Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order on September 24, 2026.
Building on the temporary restraining order, Judge Kelly returned to the case on October 14, 2026, and granted the news outlets’ motion for a preliminary injunction. The ruling extended the earlier order for the duration of the lawsuit, meaning that the administration must continue to preserve the White House press credentials of the three outlets and is barred from enforcing the September 18 decision to revoke those passes. By converting the temporary measure into a longer‑lasting injunction, the judge provided the outlets with sustained access as the litigation moves forward, ensuring that their reporters can keep working under the same conditions that prevailed before the ban was announced.
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to maintain White House press access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico while their lawsuit proceeds. However, the ruling does not guarantee access to the Oval Office or Air Force One. Source: Axios
In explaining his ruling, Judge Kelly added a clarifying note that has attracted attention beyond the immediate parties. He stated that his decision should not be interpreted as "claiming that President Donald Trump's claims about accuracy and fairness in the media's reporting are unfounded."
As of the October 14, 2026, order, the preliminary injunction remains in place, preserving the press credentials of CNN, MS NOW, and Politico for the duration of the lawsuit. The Trump administration is prohibited from enforcing the September 18 ban, and the outlets retain their ability to cover the White House while the court continues to examine their constitutional arguments. The outcome of the case will ultimately determine whether the president’s attempt to exclude these news organizations withstands judicial scrutiny, but for now the injunction maintains the pre‑ban status quo and allows the three outlets to report from the presidential complex without interruption.