White House Defies Federal Court Order Restoring CNN, MSNOW and Politico Access

The White House blocked reporters from CNN, MSNOW and Politico from entering its grounds on Thursday, September 24, in open defiance of a federal court order issued earlier that day. District Judge Tim Kelly had ruled that the three outlets must have their access immediately restored following President Trump's ban, which he announced on September 18 citing dissatisfaction with their coverage and which deactivated their press passes.

Despite the ruling, staff from all three organizations were turned away at the gates. CNN, MSNOW and Politico responded by filing an emergency request for an immediate court hearing, telling the judge in a court filing that their access remained denied hours after his order. The standoff escalated what had already become a significant First Amendment legal battle, with the outlets having previously sued the Trump administration after initial denials of access beginning the weekend of September 19.

The practical stakes extend beyond the three outlets. CNN is one of five networks that rotate in the White House television pool, which supplies live footage of presidential events to the broader press corps, including local TV stations and news websites. Organizers had not issued updated pool guidance as of the time the emergency filing was made, leaving the status of presidential event coverage in question.