Topline
MS NOW, CNN and Politico regained White House access Thursday after a federal judge lifted President Donald Trump’s highly controversial ban on the three outlets.
MS Now White House Correspondent Laura Barrón-López works on a street corner near the White House in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2026. CNN, MS NOW and Politico said their reporters were barred from entering the White House on Thursday despite a court order that their access be restored. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
MS NOW and CNN crews were seen re-entering White House grounds Thursday afternoon, after the Secret Service blocked their access for several hours despite a judge ordering overnight they be let back in.
The White House said in a court filing Thursday afternoon it restored access for the three outlets and returned the press passes it had confiscated around 10 a.m. EDT on Thursday.
The outlets filed a motion Thursday morning seeking an emergency hearing after the White House continued to block reporters from entering despite the overnight ruling lifting the ban, and U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the Trump administration to respond by 12:30 p.m. EDT.
The outlets noted in their latest court filing Thursday notifying the judge of the continued ban, “time is of the essence—CNN is scheduled to be the television pool this evening for President Xi Jinping’s visit to the White House.”
Key Background
Trump announced the ban Friday, citing what he claimed was “constant” reporting of “fake news.” On Saturday, journalists from the three outlets who showed up to the White House for work were barred from entering and their press passes were confiscated. Their employers filed a request for a temporary restraining order to overturn the ban, claiming a violation of First Amendment rights. The government argued in response to the lawsuit that White House access “is a privilege—not a right” and claimed the ban is a matter of national security, because the outlets published “sensitive or classified information,” citing articles about the U.S. military’s munitions stockpiles and construction of a security bunker under the White House ballroom.
What did Kelly’s ruling say?
Kelly said the news organizations “must receive notice and an opportunity to be heard before the Government deprives them of a constitutionally protected interest.” The Trump administration’s reason for banning the outlets is “so vague it hardly does the trick,” and that “nothing in the record . . . suggests the revocation of Plaintiffs’ hard passes was motivated by national security concerns.” He also said the news organizations sufficiently proved they would likely suffer “irreparable harm” if he didn’t overturn the ban. “It’s a high bar, but Plaintiffs have met it,” he wrote.
further reading
Secret Service Confiscates Politico Reporter’s Press Pass Despite Judge Overturning Ban (Forbes)
‘Sleazebags’: Trump Lashes Out At CNN Reporter As DOJ Defends White House Press Ban (Forbes)
Natalie Harp Reportedly Showed Trump Critical News Coverage Before Media Ban (Forbes)
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