U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, that he would "probably" allow journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico to return to the White House if a court ruled against his decision to ban them. The three news organizations filed a lawsuit on Monday challenging the administration's revocation of their credentials, which they characterized as a violation of First Amendment rights and constitutional due process.
The legal dispute follows an announcement by President Trump on Friday, September 18, 2026, that he was barring the three outlets from White House grounds. Following that announcement, the Secret Service deactivated the press passes of reporters from the affected organizations. On Saturday, September 19, reporters Akayla Gardner (MS NOW), Betsy Klein (CNN), and Cheyenne Haslett (Politico) were denied entry to the grounds, and their passes were seized.
In their legal filing, the media organizations requested a temporary restraining order to immediately restore access, arguing that the ban is based on the president's objection to their reporting. President Trump defended the move in a social media post, stating that he was addressing "fake news" and characterized the outlets as a threat to national security. One administration official suggested that a 1965 Supreme Court opinion regarding government restrictions on travel to Cuba could provide legal support for the administration's position.
The scale of the impact involves the deactivation of credentials for at least three specific reporters named in the lawsuit and the broader operations of their respective news teams. The outlets argue that this action sets a precedent where the government can restrict access to "the people's house" based on the favorability of coverage. If the ban remains in place, these organizations must report from outside the White House grounds, which they state restricts the public's access to complete information about the government.
A hearing on the motion for a temporary restraining order is scheduled for Wednesday, September 23, 2026. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly, a Trump appointee who previously ruled in favor of reporter Jim Acosta during a similar credential dispute in the president's first term. President Trump has stated he will appeal any ruling that is not in his favor. While the litigation proceeds, the news organizations have stated they will continue to cover the administration from outside the restricted areas.