Trump administration insists in new court filing it can ban MS NOW, CNN and Politico from White House

The Trump administration told a federal court Friday that it may lawfully bar journalists from MS NOW, CNN and Politico from the White House, opposing a request to restore their access while the lawsuit continues. The Department of Justice says the ban is consistent with the First Amendment and is neither retaliatory nor viewpoint discrimination.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly blocked the ban for two weeks last week, ruling only on due process. He found the administration had no clearly stated standards in place before revoking the passes, and called its vague rationale in September 22, 2026 letters inadequate. He also pointed out that the White House renewed Betsy Klein's credential after she had published some of the coverage it later objected to. Kelly will hear arguments Thursday, when his order expires, and plans to rule quickly.

The news organizations argue the ban violates the First Amendment and Fifth Amendment due process, and warn the White House would reinstate it immediately without longer relief. The White House took nearly 12 hours to restore credentials after the ruling and still keeps CNN out of the five-network television pool.

Summarized by PolitiKool from MS NOW’s reporting. Read the full story at MS NOW →