Judge orders White House to reinstate press access until litigation concludes

Axios · 10/14/2026, 3:35:19 AM

A federal judge on Tuesday ruled the Trump administration must continue to grant CNN, MS NOW and Politico access to the White House grounds while the lawsuit filed by the three news organizations continues. Why it matters: It marks a major win for the news outlets as it maintains their White House access and signals that the judge believes their legal claims could succeed on their merits. Judge Timothy Kelly, an appointee of President Trump, awarded a temporary restraining order to the plaintiffs on Sept. 24 that mandated the White House reinstate the outlets' credentials for 14 days. Last week, Kelly extended that through Oct. 13. The preliminary injunction preserves the outlets' access until the case is resolved, which could take weeks, months or years. Zoom in: "Defendants (except for President Trump) and their agents, representatives, and all persons or entities acting in concert with them [to] immediately return, reinstate, and restore the White House 'hard pass' press credentials held by employees of CNN, MS NOW, and POLITICO that were revoked on or about September 18, 2026," Kelly's court order said. What they're saying: In a statement, Theodore J. Boutrous, Jr., attorney for CNN, MS NOW and Politico, said the ban "blatantly and explicitly violated due process and the First Amendment." "The harm this ban did to our clients, the First Amendment, and the public as a whole is profound," he said. "The Court was right to enjoin the White House from enforcing this 'unconstitutional ban on the free press' for the foreseeable future." Yes, but: The judge's ruling doesn't guarantee that the plaintiffs have access to key areas, such as the Oval Office and Air Force One. The White House has continued to bar CNN and Politico journalists from press pool assignments onboard Air Force One, despite the temporary restraining order reinstating their credentials. A different White House lawsuit, brought by the Associated Press, could help clarify the extent of the president's p