White House restores press credentials after federal court intervention

On September 18, 2026, the White House revoked the press credentials of CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, with President Donald Trump citing the outlets' dissemination of "fictions and lies." The U.S. Department of Justice defended the ban, arguing that access to the White House is a privilege rather than a right and citing national security concerns regarding sensitive reports about the war in Iran and internal construction projects. The affected media outlets subsequently filed a legal challenge against the administration, alleging a violation of press freedom.

On September 24, federal judge Timothy Kelly ruled that the ban was likely unconstitutional and ordered the immediate restoration of access for 14 days. Despite initial attempts by the White House to block entry that same morning, the administration ultimately complied with the court order. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the credentials have been restored, allowing journalists, including CNN’s Betsy Klein, to resume their reporting duties and access press briefings.