Judge Extends White House Access for CNN, MS Now and Politico After Trump Ban
A federal judge has ordered the White House to keep allowing journalists from CNN, MS Now and Politico onto the grounds while their lawsuit against the Trump administration proceeds, extending an earlier 14-day reprieve granted after the outlets were banned in September.
A federal judge has ordered the White House to continue granting building access to journalists from CNN, MS Now and Politico, extending a temporary reprieve that had been set to expire, as a lawsuit brought by the three outlets against the Trump administration moves through the courts.
District court judge Timothy Kelly issued the ruling after the administration blocked the three news organisations from entering the White House grounds in September. The ban, announced by President Donald Trump, was described at the time as a response to what he called the outlets' constant reporting of «FAKE NEWS».
Kelly had initially granted a 14-day reprieve on 24 September, six days after the ban took effect. Tuesday's order extends that protection, meaning the correspondents can continue to work from the White House while the media coalition's legal challenge is heard.
The case sits at the centre of a broader confrontation over press access to the executive branch. The three outlets are among the most prominent US news organisations covering the White House, and their exclusion raised immediate questions about whether the administration could selectively bar reporters whose coverage it dislikes.
Kelly's decision does not resolve the underlying lawsuit. It preserves the status quo for the duration of the proceedings, allowing the journalists to retain the credentials and physical access they need to report from the building. A full hearing on the merits of the case is expected to follow.
The ban drew criticism from press freedom advocates, who argued that denying access to specific outlets on the basis of their reporting sets a precedent that could be applied to other newsrooms. The White House has defended its authority to control who enters the grounds.
The legal fight has unfolded alongside a turbulent period in the White House press operation. Incoming Press Secretary Katie Zacharia held her first briefing on Tuesday, a debut that drew widespread commentary after she stumbled through prepared remarks and took only three questions before concluding.
Zacharia was plucked from relative obscurity for the role, and her performance quickly became a subject of ridicule in some quarters, with critics questioning how long she would last in the position. Betting markets have already begun taking wagers on her tenure, underscoring the unusual scrutiny surrounding the administration's communications team.
For the three banned outlets, however, the immediate focus remains the courtroom. Kelly's order means their correspondents can continue to attend briefings, access the press area and report from the White House while the coalition's suit proceeds. The judge's earlier 14-day reprieve had been seen as a stopgap; Tuesday's extension signals that the court is prepared to maintain access at least until the case is resolved.
The dispute has become a test of the limits of presidential control over media access. While the White House has broad discretion over credentials, courts have previously intervened when exclusions appeared to target specific outlets for their coverage. The outcome of the coalition's lawsuit could shape how future administrations handle press credentials.
For now, CNN, MS Now and Politico retain their places in the White House press corps, and their lawyers will continue to argue that the ban was an unlawful attempt to punish reporting. The administration, meanwhile, is expected to keep defending the exclusion as a legitimate exercise of its authority over the premises.
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