CNN, MS NOW, Politico request court hearing after White House access denied despite judge's order

CNN, MS NOW, Politico request court hearing after White House access denied despite judge's order.

Key points

• Ahead of the ruling, the Department of Justice had argued that Trump can "control reporters' access to restricted presidential areas, such as the Oval Office."
• CNN, MS NOW and Politico were barred from the White House on Friday for distributing what the Republican president branded "fake news" and "fiction and lies."
• " CNN is scheduled to be the television pool this evening for (Chinese) President Xi Jinping's visit to the White House, " they remarked.
• They filed a joint lawsuit asking for a temporary restraining order against the ban on the grounds that it violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

CNN, MS NOW, Politico request court hearing after White House access denied despite judge's order. AFP Published September 24, 2026 Updated September 24, 2026 08: 22pm. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico requested an urgent court hearing on Thursday after their reporters were barred from the White House despite a judge's order that their access be restored.

"This morning journalists from each of CNN, MS NOW, and Politico attempted to enter the White House and were turned away, " the news outlets remarked in a court filing.

"Plaintiffs respectfully request that the court set a hearing by video conference or teleconference as soon as possible, " they remarked. "Defendants have already repeatedly violated the court's order."

District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled overnight that the three news organisations banned by US President Donald Trump last week should have their access to the White House immediately restored.

Revoking their press credentials "likely violated their constitutional due process rights, " Kelly remarked. "The 'general rule' is that 'individuals must receive notice and an opportunity to be heard before the government deprives them' of a constitutionally protected interest."

Trump has long attacked news outlets that have aired critical coverage of him, repeatedly blasting the press as the "enemy of the people".

They filed a joint lawsuit asking for a temporary restraining order against the ban on the grounds that it violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution. It upholds the right to a free press.

"Access to the White House is a privilege – not a right, " it remarked.

In practice, the White House Press Office accused CNN in a letter to the cable news outlet of "trafficking in verifiable falsehoods about national security and other issues, and publishing sensitive or classified information, " with similar accusations leveled against MS NOW and Politico.

Notably, the letter to CNN cited a number of stories concerning the US-Israeli war on Iran and a story on Trump's intends to build a military bunker below the planned East Wing ballroom which allegedly "disclosed 'top-secret' construction details".

Kelly, who was appointed by Trump during his first term, appeared unconvinced.

"The court is skeptical – at least on this record – that defendants' interest in safeguarding national security is the actual motivation for, or is even advanced by, the revocation of plaintiffs' hard passes, " the judge remarked.

In a rare move, the top five US broadcasters remarked that they were halting pool coverage of the White House – where a broadcaster films on behalf of all television outlets for the day – in solidarity with CNN.

"The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information regarding its administration. No administration should restrict a news organisation since it objects to its reporting, " ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC stated.

In their request to Kelly to hold an emergency hearing on Thursday, the media outlets remarked "time is of the essence".

For now, CNN, MS NOW, Politico request court hearing after White House access denied remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.