MED-002 · Press & media · Press access
White House revokes CNN, MS NOW and Politico press passes
Stage 4 of 5: Legal action · Lawsuits, subpoenas, charges · Last development 14 Oct 2026
On 18 September 2026 President Trump announced on social media, without prior notice, that CNN, MS NOW and Politico were banned from the White House, calling their reporting "fake news". The hard passes of 78 reporters were revoked. The outlets sued three days later. Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump nominee, restored access on 24 September and on 13 October issued a preliminary injunction, finding the outlets likely to win on free speech and due process grounds and that the national security reasons were given after the fact. The Justice Department appealed the next day.
Preliminary ruling only; the appeal is pending. The judge also wrote that his decision does not mean the President's concerns about accuracy in reporting are unfounded.
- People
- Donald Trump
- Agencies
- White House
- Reviewed by
- Federal courts
Timeline
Justice Department files notice of appeal to the D.C. Circuit. [3]
Kelly issues a preliminary injunction keeping the passes in place while the case runs. [1]
Judge Kelly temporarily restores access; MS NOW and CNN staff are still turned away from the Xi Jinping arrival ceremony that evening. [2]
CNN, MS NOW and Politico sue in federal court in Washington. [2]
Trump posts that the three outlets are banned; hard passes are revoked. [1]
Responses
- Justice Department: Argues White House access is a privilege, not a right, and that the bans protect national security and stem misinformation. [1]
Who is acting on it
- Lawsuit CNN, MS NOW, Politico: Sued over the revoked press passes (21 Sep 2026, What happened next)
Sources
Cite this case
Public Trust Tracker. "White House revokes CNN, MS NOW and Politico press passes" (MED-002). Last updated 14 Oct 2026. https://publictrusttracker.org/case/med-002-white-house-revokes-cnn-ms-now-and-politico-press-passes/
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