Judge Sets Sept. 23 Hearing on Trump Ban of 3 News Outlets, Defending It on Security Grounds
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Sep 23
Judge Sets Sept. 23 Hearing on Trump Ban of 3 News Outlets, Defending It on Security Grounds
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Sep 23
Summary
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly set a 3:30 p.m. Wednesday hearing on a lawsuit by POLITICO, CNN and MS NOW seeking immediate restoration of West Wing access.
Justice Department lawyers defended Trump’s revocation by citing stories on the Iran war, depleted munitions, an FBI leak probe and POLITICO’s report on bad GOP midterm “vibes.”
Three unsigned letters sent Tuesday gave the outlets until Friday to contest the ban, but they did not allege any cited story disclosed classified information and some examples lacked any national-security link.
The administration also asked courts to overturn the 49-year-old Sherrill v. Knight precedent requiring viewpoint-neutral White House press access, arguing instead for broader presidential power to restrict entry to sensitive areas.
The suit, filed Monday, says the credential revocations violate the First Amendment and could reshape the legal basis for equal access to White House press spaces.
Could overturning a 49-year-old legal precedent forever change how journalists access restricted government spaces?
The 2026 White House Press Ban: Trump’s Mass Credential Revocations, Legal Showdown, and the Future of Press Freedom in America
Overview
In September 2026, President Trump banned CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, leading to their reporters being blocked and press passes confiscated. This triggered a joint lawsuit and an emergency court hearing overseen by Judge Timothy J. Kelly, who had previously ruled against the Trump administration in a similar 2018 case. The ban sparked a wave of solidarity, with major TV networks suspending pool coverage and other outlets joining the protest. The conflict follows earlier disputes, such as the Associated Press being restricted in 2025 for editorial choices, highlighting a growing trend of using press access as leverage in political battles.