A US federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to immediately restore White House access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, ruling that the restrictions imposed on the three news organisations were likely unconstitutional.
US District Judge Tim Kelly issued the order on Thursday after the affected media organisations sued the administration over restrictions announced by Trump on September 18, 2026.
The ruling marks a setback for the administration, which had argued that the restrictions were justified on national security grounds.
Trump had defended the decision on social media, accusing the three organisations of repeatedly publishing what he described as “fiction and lies.”
The dispute intensified over the weekend when journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were denied access to the White House grounds and had their press credentials withdrawn.
Kelly, who was appointed by Trump, has previously ruled in favour of press access. During Trump’s first term, he ordered the White House to temporarily restore the credentials of a CNN reporter whose access had been revoked.
The restrictions also prompted an unusual show of solidarity among major US broadcasters.
On Monday, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC jointly suspended White House pool coverage in protest, arguing that restricting journalists’ access undermines the public’s right to independent reporting.
“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government. No administration should restrict a news organisation because it objects to its reporting,” the broadcasters said in a joint statement.
The lawsuit also received backing from the White House Correspondents’ Association and nearly 50 other news organisations, which urged the court to overturn the restrictions.
Trump renewed his criticism of CNN while attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
Addressing a CNN reporter, the president said: “I’m surprised that CNN is here covering me. You shouldn’t be here.”
Amid the dispute, the White House launched its own streaming platform, “Trump TV,” offering round-the-clock coverage of presidential speeches, official events and other administration activities.
Trump has frequently clashed with major media organisations throughout his political career, accusing them of unfair coverage and at times referring to the press as the “enemy of the people.”
