U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the White House to restore press credentials for CNN, MS NOW and Politico on Sept. 24, 2026, after President Trump's administration revoked their access last week. The judge issued a 14-day temporary restraining order and described the ban as likely unconstitutional, according to Reuters.
The three news organizations filed a joint lawsuit alleging their First Amendment rights were violated when the White House stripped their credentials. The revocation had prevented them from covering White House events, effectively silencing major news outlets' ability to report directly on the administration's activities.
Press Freedom Under Fire
Judge Kelly's ruling lifted the ban immediately, restoring the outlets' ability to access White House grounds and cover presidential events. Reuters reported that the judge found the credential revocations likely violated constitutional protections. The temporary restraining order gives the three outlets 14 days of restored access while the underlying First Amendment case proceeds.
The White House hasn't publicly explained why it revoked credentials from these specific outlets. CNN, MS NOW and Politico represent a significant portion of the White House press corps, and their simultaneous exclusion raised immediate concerns about selective retaliation against news organizations.
What the Lawsuit Alleges
The joint lawsuit filed by the three outlets centers on First Amendment violations. NPR reported that the news organizations are challenging the administration's authority to arbitrarily exclude journalists from covering the president and White House activities. Press credentials traditionally allow reporters to attend briefings, travel with the president, and access areas of the White House grounds necessary for newsgathering.
The case represents a direct confrontation between the Trump administration and major news outlets over press access. Without credentials, reporters can't attend daily briefings, presidential announcements, or other events that shape public understanding of government actions and policies.
Implications for Government Accountability
The revocation of press passes for multiple outlets simultaneously marks an escalation in tensions between the administration and the media. When government officials can selectively exclude news organizations, it undermines the press's role as a check on executive power. Judge Kelly's swift intervention suggests the court recognized the urgency of protecting journalists' ability to report on their government.
The 14-day temporary restraining order means the court will need to address the broader constitutional questions in the coming weeks. The three outlets will continue covering the White House while their lawsuit moves forward, but the administration could potentially seek to revoke their credentials again if the court doesn't issue a more permanent injunction.
Why This Matters:
Press access to the White House isn't a privilege the executive branch can grant or withhold based on coverage preferences—it's fundamental to democratic accountability. When an administration can silence news organizations by revoking credentials without clear justification, it threatens the public's right to know what their government is doing. The three outlets affected reach millions of Americans who depend on independent reporting to understand presidential actions and policies. Judge Kelly's ruling that the ban is likely unconstitutional reinforces that the First Amendment protects journalists' ability to gather news about government activities, regardless of whether officials approve of their coverage. The lawsuit's outcome will help define whether future administrations can use credential revocations as a tool to punish or silence critical reporting.