CNN, MS NOW and Politico Sue Trump Over White House Press Ban (2026-09-22)

Three news organisations — CNN, MS NOW and Politico — filed suit against President Donald Trump and members of his administration on Monday, challenging their exclusion from White House grounds. The outlets argue the ban breaches protections for free speech and a free press under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., seeks a temporary restraining order to block the measure, with a hearing set for Wednesday. In the filing, the outlets described the ban as a direct assault on the First Amendment and a blatant violation of fundamental constitutional principles. In a joint statement, they warned that leaving it unchallenged would threaten press freedom and the public's right to independent journalism, adding that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes.

Trump announced the ban on Friday via social media, saying the outlets should not be able to "constantly write or report FICTION and LIES" while covering the president. On Monday he defended the move, writing that his administration was not assaulting the free press, which he said he cherishes, but rather the "FAKE NEWS", calling it a threat to national security that must be stopped. He did not provide evidence of such a threat.

Television pool coverage suspended

CNN is one of five outlets — alongside ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC — that form the primary White House television pool, sharing costs, rotating coverage duties and distributing footage to broadcasters nationwide. CNN had been scheduled to cover Trump's trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly on Monday but was unable to provide a pool feed.

In response, the other major TV networks suspended presidential pool coverage, removing the most widespread video source for White House events just as Trump is due to meet numerous world leaders on the sidelines of the General Assembly and host Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington later in the week. Bryan Boughton, who heads the Fox News Washington bureau and chairs the TV pool, said in an email that the pool would not cover events designated as pool coverage effective Monday, and that no replacement pool would be put in place.

Elsewhere, the White House press room operated largely as normal on Monday, with reporters preparing for events including an afternoon ribbon-cutting for a new Marine One helipad on the South Lawn. Audio on the White House's own live stream of the ceremony, promoted as an alternative to the pool feed, was inaudible.

Aide's role and a united front

A source familiar with the matter, speaking anonymously, said Natalie Harp, a close presidential aide, showed Trump clips and graphics of recent news coverage, contributing to his decision to ban the three outlets. Trump has been unhappy with coverage of the midterm elections, the source added, and his frustration intensified after last week's Supreme Court ruling that blocked his attempt to limit mail-in voting.

Asked about the lawsuit, Harp's role and Trump's views on election coverage, the White House said the "Fake News" had no place demanding a spot in the president's Oval Office and was capable of reporting from outside.

The affected organisations moved quickly to present a united front. Within ten minutes of Trump's announcement on Friday, CNN contacted MS NOW and Politico to discuss joint legal action, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.

Victor Pickard, a professor of media policy and political economy at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication, said banning news organisations from the White House prevents them from confronting officials face-to-face and eliciting unguarded comments that could shed light on political matters, which he said was especially important in an election year.

The case has been assigned to US District Judge Timothy Kelly, appointed by Trump in 2017, who ruled against Trump in 2018 in a case involving then-CNN correspondent Jim Acosta. In his first term, the administration sought to revoke the credentials of Acosta and Playboy correspondent Brian Karem, but federal judges ordered their press passes restored. Last year, Trump barred the Varta Wire from the pool covering his movements over its refusal to adopt his preferred name for the Gulf of Mexico; the agency has sued over that ban. His administration has also limited many journalists' access to the Pentagon.

Broader media pressure

Trump has intensified his actions targeting the media since winning a second term, suing multiple outlets and repeatedly urging broadcasters to drop programmes he considers unfair. He has also called on the Federal Communications Commission to strip disfavoured broadcast stations of their licences.

David Ellison, son of Trump ally and Oracle Executive Chairman Larry Ellison, took control of Paramount and its CBS news unit, leading to a controversial shakeup at "60 Minutes", the most popular US TV news magazine. Ellison is now seeking to acquire CNN parent Warner Bros, in a move approved by the Trump administration; a number of US states have sued to block the merger. On Monday, Ellison's company Paramount Skydance reached a settlement with California and other states, paving the way for the merger.

Trump's party is seeking to retain its narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress in the November midterm elections, with polls showing public sentiment souring on Republicans and the president's approval ratings near historic lows.