WASHINGTON, United States — Journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico returned to the White House on Thursday, September 24, 2026, after a federal judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s decision to exclude the three news organisations over their coverage of his administration.
The journalists were initially denied entry despite the court order but regained access later in the day, ending a nearly weeklong exclusion that had prompted a constitutional challenge and disrupted presidential television coverage.
CNN White House correspondent Betsy Klein and MS NOW correspondent Laura Barrón-López resumed live reporting from the presidential complex on Thursday afternoon.
Politico also confirmed that one of its journalists had been readmitted.
The reinstatement followed an overnight ruling by United States District Judge Timothy Kelly, who ordered the administration to restore the organisations’ press credentials for 14 days while their lawsuit proceeds.
Judge Questions White House Justification
Kelly found that the news organisations were likely to succeed in establishing that the administration violated their constitutional right to due process when it withdrew their credentials without advance notice or an opportunity to contest the decision.
The judge also questioned the administration’s national security justification, observing that Trump had initially attributed the ban to the organisations’ allegedly inaccurate and unfavourable reporting.
In his ruling, Kelly noted that the stories subsequently cited by the White House involved reporting commonly undertaken by news organisations, including articles published months or years earlier.
The Justice Department had argued that the organisations published sensitive security information and material that could undermine the president’s ability to protect national security.
The White House identified reports concerning military supplies affected by the Iran war, sanctions against Russia, and funding for renovations to the presidential complex among its objections.
Kelly found that the administration had provided insufficient evidence to establish that national security concerns justified withdrawing the journalists’ credentials without following established procedures.
Reporters Initially Denied Entry Despite Court Order
Thursday’s ruling did not immediately result in the journalists’ return.
After reporters from the three organisations were turned away from the White House in the morning, their lawyers requested an emergency hearing.
Kelly directed the administration to provide a written explanation by 12:30 p.m.
In its response, White House press operations director Micah Stopperich said staff had received instructions shortly after 7 a.m. to reactivate the affected journalists’ credentials.
According to Stopperich, the Secret Service confirmed shortly after 9 a.m. that the passes had been reactivated, and the credentials were subsequently delivered to the entry gate.
The judge declined to hold an emergency hearing after reviewing the administration’s explanation.
The White House did not immediately explain why journalists had been turned away after the court issued its order.
News Organisations Pursue Constitutional Challenge
Trump announced the restrictions in a Truth Social post on Friday, September 18, accusing CNN, MS NOW, and Politico of repeatedly publishing false information.
The organisations filed a joint lawsuit the following Monday, alleging that the administration had retaliated against them for their reporting and violated their rights under the First and Fifth Amendments.
Their legal challenge received support from the White House Correspondents’ Association, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and 49 news and media organisations, which submitted a joint court brief opposing the restrictions.
Ted Boutrous, the lawyer representing the three organisations, welcomed Thursday’s ruling.
“This is a strong ruling vindicating freedom of the press, due process and the rule of law. We greatly appreciate the court’s swift action,” he said.
The ruling provides temporary relief rather than a final determination of the constitutional claims raised in the lawsuit.
The court will consider whether the organisations are entitled to longer-term protection against the restrictions as the proceedings continue.
