US judge considers CNN and Politico lawsuit over White House access ban
US District Judge Timothy J. Kelly heard arguments in Washington after CNN, MS NOW, and Politico challenged the revocation of their White House press credentials.
Legal challenge before federal court
Three news organizations (CNN, MS NOW, and Politico) filed a federal lawsuit on Monday, 21 September 2026, challenging their expulsion from White House press facilities. US District Judge Timothy J. Kelly scheduled the first hearing on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, at 15:30 in Washington to decide whether to issue an emergency order restoring their press credentials. The outlets argue that the administration revoked their building access without justification or advance warning in violation of constitutional speech protections. In a legal brief submitted on Tuesday evening, the US Department of Justice defended the exclusions, arguing that White House access constitutes a privilege rather than a legal right.
National security and coverage disputes
The Justice Department maintained in its court filings that the executive branch retains authority to regulate reporter presence in restricted spaces such as the Oval Office, even for reasons tied to coverage disagreements. Government lawyers cited national security concerns, alleging that CNN, MS NOW, and Politico published sensitive information regarding the ongoing war in Iran. The filings also referenced reporting on construction projects at the White House East Wing ballroom, which detailed the development of an underground bunker. The White House press office issued formal letters specifying coverage infractions to each excluded organization, setting a response deadline of Friday, 25 September 2026. The administration claimed the outlets circulated false claims about military munitions shortages, though a Pentagon report from mid-September confirmed the equipment constraints.
- CNN, MS NOW, and Politico file a federal lawsuit challenging the revocation of their White House credentials.
- The five-network television pool halts coverage of presidential events, and the DOJ files a legal brief defending the ban.
- US District Judge Timothy J. Kelly hears emergency arguments on restoring press access at 15:30 in Washington.
- Deadline expires for the three news organizations to formally contest White House coverage incident notices.
Network boycott and Trump TV launch
The credential revocations prompted coordinated resistance across US television broadcasters. On Tuesday, 22 September 2026, the shared television pool comprising CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox News decided to halt all pooled coverage of presidential events. Bryan Boughton, a Fox News representative who coordinates the five-network rotation, announced the decision to suspend cameras at events attended by Donald Trump.
Starting today, the TV pool will not cover events in which the President participates.
Following the television blackout, the White House established a round-the-clock streaming operation named "Trump TV" to distribute internally produced coverage of presidential appearances.
Direct confrontations and legal arguments
Tensions between the administration and excluded organizations escalated during events at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. On Tuesday, Donald Trump confronted CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins upon his arrival, asserting that she should not be present to report on him despite her accreditation from the United Nations. Former CNN Washington bureau chief Frank Sesno pointed to previous multi-billion-dollar lawsuits filed by Trump against news organizations.
This is the person who has sued the BBC for $10 billion, the Wall Street Journal, he tried for $10 billion, the New York Times and others because he does not like the coverage that doesn't reflect well on him, pure and simple.
The court proceeding before Judge Kelly will determine whether the administration must restore press badges while the broader constitutional lawsuit moves through the federal judicial system.
