Ted BoutrousDonald TrumpTimothy KellySecret ServiceMS NOWCNNWhite HouseTruth SocialPolitico

Judge orders White House access restored for three news outlets; Secret Service and White House officials initially refuse, even as Trump allows Chinese state media entry

A federal judge has ordered the White House to restore press access for CNN, Politico, and MS NOW after their credentials were revoked. Despite the ruling, Secret Service and White House officials initially denied entry, even as Trump permitted Chinese state media access, citing their friendlier coverage.

Salon.com25 September 2026 · 14:09 UTC
CuriousCats Full Story

A federal District Court Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the White House to restore access to CNN, Politico, and MS NOW after their press passes were revoked last Friday. The judge issued a 14-day restraining order following a lawsuit filed by the news organizations.

Despite the ruling, Secret Service and White House officials initially refused to allow the reporters entry as the workday began. This refusal occurred even as Trump permitted Chinese state media access, claiming they were friendlier than the independent Washington press corps.

Attorney Ted Boutrous, representing the news outlets, noted that Trump has faced legal defeats in similar cases, stating, “He’s beaten Trump three times representing me”. Trump’s lawyers had previously argued that the media outlets posed a threat to national security, a claim Boutrous dismissed as ridiculous.67

Trump criticized Judge Kelly on Truth Social, calling him “totally disloyal” and “not a particularly fair judge”. Boutrous emphasized that “no official can deprive Plaintiffs of those interests on a whim”, highlighting the constitutional implications of the case.5

The ruling underscores ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and the press, particularly regarding access and coverage.

Key Insight
“Trump revoked the press passes because he disliked the media companies and resented their negative coverage, later claiming national security concerns. Attorney Ted Boutrous, who represented the news organizations, now holds a 5–0 record against Trump in these cases.”
Legal expert explains why judge halted Trump's media ban
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Legal expert explains why judge halted Trump's media ban
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1
Salon.com
“In the pre-dawn hours, federal District Court Judge Timothy Kelly granted CNN, Politico and MS NOW a allowing them to regain access to the White House after had unceremoniously yanked their press passes last Friday.”
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EARLIER IN THE STORY:
ReutersReuters
Judge orders White House access restored for CNN, Politico, and MS NOW; litigation over Trump's media ban continues

US District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary order restoring White House access to CNN, Politico, and MS NOW for 14 days, ruling that journalists have a right to notice and an opportunity to be heard before credentials are revoked.

CnnCourt FightDonald Trump Presidency
2026-09-25
TL;DR by CuriousCats.ai
  • Trump's administration on Thursday complied with a judge's order to restore White House access to three media outlets he had banned last week — CNN, Politico, and MS NOW — but litigation over the ban is not over yet.
  • Kelly set a September 28 deadline for the outlets to request a preliminary injunction, which would extend his block on Trump's ban for the duration of the case; if converted, the administration could ask a federal appeals court to lift it.
  • Trump announced the ban on Friday on his social media platform, saying the three news organizations "shouldn't be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they're covering the President of the United States," and vowed an appeal on Monday, before the judge had even ruled.
  • In a filing on Tuesday, the Justice Department accused the outlets of threatening national security with their coverage, citing stories about US missile stockpiles, construction of Trump's White House ballroom and turnout at the recent Republican midterm convention.
  • Theodore Boutrous, a lawyer for the three outlets, warned that focusing exclusively on due process opens the door for the administration to try again in a more formal but preordained process, drawing a parallel to the case of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, and said his clients' First Amendment arguments "will come front and center" in the coming weeks.
Judge orders White House to restore access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico; reporters say they were still denied entry hours later
YahooYahoo
Judge orders White House to restore access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico; reporters say they were still denied entry hours later

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., issued a temporary restraining order on Thursday, ordering the White House to restore access to CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters who had been banned by President Trump.

AbcAssociated PressCbs
2026-09-24
TL;DR by CuriousCats.ai
  • U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order on Thursday, ordering the White House to restore access to CNN, MS NOW, and Politico reporters who had been banned by President Trump.
  • Judge Kelly ordered the White House to immediately return, reinstate, and restore access to the news outlets for a period of 14 days, stating their lawsuit against the president was likely to succeed.
  • Despite the ruling, reporters from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico were still denied access to the White House grounds hours later, prompting the outlets to request an immediate hearing.
  • Trump announced the ban on reporters from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico on Sept. 18, claiming the outlets 'constantly write or report fiction or lies' about his administration.
  • The three news organizations filed a federal lawsuit alleging that Trump violated their First Amendment rights by retaliating against them for coverage he didn't like.
  • Dozens of media organizations signed in support of CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, condemning the ban as a violation of the First Amendment.
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