# Judge orders Trump to restore news outlet access

> A federal judge temporarily blocked Trump's ban of CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House, but reporters said they remained blocked hours later.
- Title: Judge orders Trump to restore news outlet access · Fortune
- Summary: A federal judge temporarily blocked Trump's ban of CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House, but reporters said they remained blocked hours later. A…
- Keywords: donald trump, cnn, politico, ms now, white house, press access, first amendment, timothy kelly, media ban, Judge, orders, Trump
- Source: Fortune — https://fortune.com/2026/09/24/judge-orders-white-house-to-immediately-restore-cnn-politico-and-ms-nows-access-trump-shrugs
- Author: Jocelyn Noveck
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: donald trump, cnn, politico, ms now, white house, press access, first amendment, timothy kelly, media ban
## Judge blocks Trump's media ban
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the White House to immediately restore press access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico early Thursday. Trump had banned the three outlets Friday, calling their reporting fake news.
## Access remained blocked after ruling
Despite the judge's order, reporters from all three outlets said they remained blocked from the White House a few hours after the ruling was issued.
## Judge found no due process
Kelly said the outlets had met the legal threshold for a temporary restraining order lasting fourteen days and were likely to succeed in showing their press passes were revoked without due process.

> This is a high bar, but Plaintiffs have met it.
## Standards were too vague
The judge said the government must have clear standards for conduct that would lead to revoking a press pass. He called the White House's standard of objectionable reporting so vague it hardly does the trick.
## National security claim rejected
Kelly rejected the administration's argument that the outlets' reporting endangered national security. He noted Trump had not used that argument when announcing the ban, focusing solely on what he called negative coverage.

> Nothing in the record … suggests that the revocation of Plaintiffs' hard passes was motivated by national security concerns.
## Government argued access is privilege
Justice Department attorney Michael Velchik argued the president has the right to choose who gets into the White House. He said access is a privilege, not a right, and the president should be able to take immediate action to protect national security.

> Access to the White House is a privilege, not a right.
## Outlets cited specific reporting incidents
The administration detailed letters to each outlet identifying reporting incidents. CNN reported on top-secret East Wing bunker construction details. MS NOW reported on an alleged leak investigation. Politico published a document detailing White House ballroom funding and Secret Service security improvements.
## Other networks suspended Trump coverage
The ban prompted the U.S. network press pool, consisting of the five major networks including CNN, to suspend coverage of Trump pool events pending further notice. At Joint Base Andrews, journalists from Fox News, CBS and NBC were present but not shooting video.
## Outlets' attorney hails ruling
Theodore Boutrous Jr., attorney for the outlets, called the ruling a strong vindication of freedom of the press, due process and the rule of law. He said the court's swift action was greatly appreciated.

> This is a strong ruling vindicating freedom of the press, due process and the rule of law.
## Key takeaway

A federal judge ordered the White House to immediately restore press access for three outlets Trump banned, though the outlets reported remaining blocked after the ruling.