WASHINGTON: A US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore White House access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
US District Judge Tim Kelly issued the order on September 24, 2026. The ruling came after the three media organizations challenged the White House ban in court.
The judge also blocked the administration from enforcing the ban for 14 days. He ordered officials to return the journalists’ White House press passes immediately.
Court Questions Due Process
Judge Kelly said the media organizations were likely to show that the administration had not followed proper due process.
The three outlets argued that the White House removed their press access without giving them enough notice or a fair chance to challenge the decision.
Moreover, Kelly pointed to legal precedents that protect journalists’ due process rights before authorities revoke their White House press passes.
The judge also questioned the administration’s standards for removing press credentials. He found the explanation for the ban too vague at this stage of the case.
Trump Announced Media Ban
President Donald Trump announced the ban on September 18.
Trump accused CNN, MS NOW and Politico of publishing what he described as false reports. He also said the outlets should not continue reporting what he called “FICTION and LIES.”
The administration later defended the restrictions in court. Justice Department lawyers cited national security concerns and argued that White House media access is a privilege.
However, Judge Kelly rejected the government’s national security argument at this stage. He said the court record did not provide factual support for the claim that the restrictions would protect national security.
Media Organizations Challenge Decision
CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed their lawsuit in federal court in Washington.
The three organizations argued that the ban violated their First Amendment protections for freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
They also argued that the administration denied them due process.
Therefore, the media organizations asked the court to restore their White House access while the wider legal case continues. (
White House Access Restored Temporarily
The latest ruling does not end the wider legal dispute.
Instead, the temporary order restores access while the court considers the case further.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration must return the journalists’ press passes and cannot enforce the ban during the 14-day period.
