Story perspectives

Judge Blocks Trump’s White House Media Access Ban

By Drooid · Sep 30, 2026, 2:49 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House grounds for “FAKE NEWS” on Sept 18.
Judge Timothy J. Kelly issued a 14-day restraining order on Sept 28, requiring Justice Department reply Friday and lasting until Oct 8.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico seek an injunction, claiming the ban violates the First Amendment and due process.
Justice Department says the ban is lawful for national-security and professionalism reasons.

History

Historical Context

In June 1971 the Supreme Court rejected Nixon’s attempt to enjoin the New York Times and Washington Post from publishing the 7,000-page Pentagon Papers, establishing a strong presumption against prior restraint. That precedent underlies today’s challenges to former President Donald Trump’s September 18, 2023 order banning CNN, MSNBC and Politico, as media groups invoke the 1971 decision to protect press access.

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Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House grounds for “FAKE NEWS” on Sept 18.
Judge Timothy J. Kelly issued a 14-day restraining order on Sept 28, requiring Justice Department reply Friday and lasting until Oct 8.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico seek an injunction, claiming the ban violates the First Amendment and due process.
Justice Department says the ban is lawful for national-security and professionalism reasons.

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