Judge Blocks Trump’s White House Ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico

Federal Judge Timothy J. Kelly on Tuesday renewed a court order blocking President Donald Trump’s ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House press events. Kelly said the three outlets are likely to win both their due‑process claim and two First‑Amendment claims, so the court granted a preliminary injunction and extended the earlier relief, preserving the status quo as the lawsuit proceeds. Kelly also stressed that the decision does not imply Trump’s concerns about media accuracy are unfounded nor that the government lacks power to protect national security when classified material is leaked. The order requires the White House to immediately return, reinstate and restore the “hard pass” credentials held by employees of the three outlets until the court lifts the restraining order. The judge had previously ordered the White House on September 24 to restore the credentials that were revoked around September 18, 2026. At that time Kelly granted a temporary restraining order after CNN, MS NOW and Politico sued Trump and three White House officials, alleging the ban violated the First Amendment and discriminated based on editorial viewpoint. Trump announced the ban on social media in September, saying it was effective immediately, and denied the reporters entry the next day despite their passes.

Context

The case underscores the ongoing tension between presidential control of press access and constitutional guarantees of free speech, a recurring issue in U.S. law.