President Donald Trump banned CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House on Friday, September 18, 2026. Journalists from those outlets had their press badges deactivated and confiscated, and they were officially blocked from entering White House property starting Saturday, September 19, 2026.
Why Were They Banned?
Trump announced the immediate ban in a post on Truth Social, claiming that the outlets constantly report "fiction and lies" and "FAKE NEWS" about his administration. Secret Service agents subsequently deactivated and confiscated the press passes of the journalists representing these organizations. While the administration later tried to argue in court that national security concerns justified the restriction, critics and media advocates pointed out that the decision was transparently based on his dislike of their reporting viewpoints.
Are They Still Banned?
The three media organizations jointly filed a federal lawsuit, and on September 24, 2026, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order halting the ban. The judge ruled that the White House's abrupt revocation of the press passes likely violated the journalists' constitutional due process rights. Following a few hours of initial confusion and blocked entry the morning of the ruling, the White House officially reinstated access, and the journalists were allowed back onto the complex later that day at noon.
