Media outlets banned by Trump denied access to White House dinner despite judge's order

September 25, 2026

President Trump banned three media outlets—CNN, MS NOW, and Politico—from White House access last week, accusing them of publishing fake news. A federal judge ruled the ban likely unconstitutional and ordered the restoration of press passes and access for 14 days, citing violations of due process rights and finding insufficient evidence for the administration's national security justifications. While the outlets regained daytime access on Thursday, they were subsequently denied credentials to cover a state dinner that evening for Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Who is affected

CNN, MS NOW, and Politico (the three banned outlets)
Specific journalists including CNN reporter Betsy Klein, CNN producer, and MS NOW White House reporter Laura Barron-Lopez
Fox News, NBC, CBS, and ABC (networks that pulled out in solidarity)
The general public receiving limited TV coverage of White House events
Chinese leader Xi Jinping's state dinner attendees (as context for the denied coverage)

What action is being taken

CNN, MS NOW, and Politico are pursuing legal action to defend press freedom
The White House is enforcing selective access restrictions, allowing some coverage while denying reporter and producer teams from the banned outlets
Judge Timothy Kelly has temporarily lifted the ban for 14 days and ordered the immediate return of press passes
More than 50 media organizations have filed an amicus brief in support of the banned outlets

Why it matters

This situation represents a fundamental conflict over First Amendment press freedom and the government's ability to control media access. The judge's ruling suggests the White House cannot arbitrarily revoke press credentials without proper due process, establishing an important precedent for preventing government censorship of critical media coverage. The broad coalition of media organizations spanning the ideological spectrum demonstrates that this is viewed as a threat to all journalism, not just individual outlets. The inconsistent enforcement of the judge's order—allowing daytime access but denying evening coverage—further highlights ongoing tensions between presidential power and constitutional protections for a free press.

What's next

The judge's order provides temporary relief for 14 days, suggesting further legal proceedings will follow to determine a permanent resolution. Networks that pulled out in solidarity (Fox News, NBC, CBS, and ABC) have yet to confirm whether they will resume White House broadcast coverage.

Read full article from source: BBC