The Trump media ban has been temporarily blocked after a federal judge ordered White House access restored to CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
WASHINGTON: A US federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s decision to bar three major news organisations from the White House, ordering officials to immediately restore press credentials for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
US District Judge Timothy Kelly issued the temporary restraining order on September 24, 2026, after the three organisations challenged the Trump media ban in federal court. The order is set to remain in effect for 14 days unless the court orders otherwise.
Why were the news outlets banned?
Trump announced on September 18 that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be barred from the White House, accusing the organisations of publishing false information about his administration. Their journalists subsequently lost access to the White House grounds.
The three news organisations responded by suing the administration, arguing that removing their access because of their reporting violated First Amendment protections and their right to due process.
Judge says ban is likely unconstitutional
Kelly concluded at this stage of the case that the news organisations were likely to succeed on their constitutional claims.
The court ordered officials to immediately return, reinstate and restore the White House hard-pass credentials held by employees of CNN, MS NOW and Politico. The order applies to administration officials and their representatives rather than directly to the president himself.
The ruling followed a hearing in Washington at which the administration defended its authority to determine access to the White House complex and cited national security concerns. The organisations challenged that justification and maintained that they had been targeted because of their journalism.
What happens to the media ban now?
The Trump media ban cannot currently be enforced against the three organisations under the temporary order.
That does not mean the wider legal dispute has been finally resolved. The temporary restraining order lasts for 14 days unless the court changes it, while the lawsuit challenging the administration’s action continues.
The case centres on significant questions about the government’s authority over White House press access and constitutional protections against excluding journalists because of their viewpoints.
White House press dispute continues
The original ban triggered a wider response from US media organisations. Major television networks suspended their participation in the White House television pool following the restrictions, adding to the dispute over access to presidential events.
For now, CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists can regain their White House credentials under the court order while the legal battle proceeds.
Impact to expect
The ruling temporarily restores access for the affected journalists while placing the administration’s restrictions under further judicial scrutiny. The next stages of the case could provide greater clarity about how constitutional protections apply when a White House administration restricts press credentials.
