CNN, MS NOW, and Politico ask judge to extend White House access order
CNN, MS NOW, and Politico asked U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly late Monday for a preliminary injunction preserving their White House access while they fight President Donald Trump's ban, Reuters reported. Kelly previously issued a 14-day temporary restraining order finding the outlets likely to succeed on due-process grounds.
AI-assisted · US Brief desk · Sources listed below
What happened
In a filing in Washington, D.C., federal court, the outlets asked U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly — who already issued a 14-day temporary restraining order blocking the bans — to convert that short-term relief into a preliminary injunction lasting until a final ruling. Kelly previously found the outlets likely to succeed on Fifth Amendment due-process claims after hard passes were revoked without notice and a chance to be heard.
Why it matters
A TRO is a brief pause; a preliminary injunction would keep CNN, MS NOW, and Politico inside the White House complex through the rest of the case, shaping pool coverage and midterm press access while appellate fights continue. Related US Brief coverage includes the original TRO and later privilege comments from White House officials.
What’s next
Watch Kelly's ruling on the preliminary-injunction motion, any D.C. Circuit emergency appeal, and whether other outlets face similar credential actions.
More context
CNN, MS NOW, and Politico asked a federal judge late Monday to issue a preliminary injunction that would preserve their White House access while they litigate President Donald Trump's attempt to ban them over coverage he dislikes, Reuters reported.
The parties' arguments: The news organizations' September 21 lawsuit calls the bans unlawful viewpoint discrimination under the First Amendment. The Justice Department has argued Trump lawfully barred the outlets after determining their coverage threatened national security by revealing classified information, Reuters reported. Trump's September 18 social media post announcing the ban accused the outlets of "FAKE NEWS" and said they "shouldn't be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES."
Uncertainty: Reuters' account describes the request, not a new court order. Separately reported disputes over whether the White House fully complied with the TRO are contested and not adjudicated in this wrap. An appeal or stay remains possible.
2 listed sources
- Reuters (Jack Queen), Sep 28–29, 2026: CNN, MS NOW, Politico ask judge to extend block on White House ban
- Prior US Brief: CNN and MS NOW say White House still barred them from Xi state-dinner arrivals; AG Blanche says White House press access is a 'privilege, not a right' after CNN Air Force One snub
References listed by US Brief; a source count is not a verification score.
Editorial sourcing notes
Monday night filing update follows Reuters (Jack Queen), Sep 28–29, 2026. Prior TRO facts (14-day order; due-process holding; Trump appointee Kelly) follow earlier US Brief “CNN, MS NOW, and Politico ask judge to extend White House access order” sourcing (NBC/AP/ABC). DOJ national-security rationale and Trump Truth Social "FAKE NEWS" framing follow Reuters' Monday wrap. A preliminary injunction is not yet granted — only requested. Courthouse News and other outlets have separately reported compliance disputes; this draft sticks to Reuters' injunction-request facts.
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