Facts
- In a dispute over White House press access, CNN, MSNOW and Politico asked a federal court on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, to make permanent U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly’s orders blocking the White House from keeping them out of the press pool, the Associated Press reported.
- Kelly earlier expanded a temporary ruling that the administration violated the outlets’ Fifth Amendment due process rights. On October 13, he also sided with their First Amendment argument, according to the AP.
- Kelly rejected the administration’s explanation that the exclusions served policy goals such as national security. He found the ban stemmed from President Donald Trump’s stated belief that the outlets’ reporting was inaccurate and biased, and wrote that this is unlawful viewpoint discrimination.
- The outlets argue the president is retaliating against them for coverage he dislikes, and that the White House is still blocking their reporters from the places where the president most frequently engages with the press.
- The administration maintains that Trump does not have to admit news outlets whose reports he dislikes onto White House grounds, Air Force One or other areas, the AP reported. As of Thursday morning, the White House had not responded to the outlets’ amended lawsuit.
- The AP’s account does not say when Kelly will rule on the new request.
Quotes
Judge Timothy Kelly wrote: “That is unlawful viewpoint discrimination.”
The outlets, in their filing, wrote: “Every news organization now faces the risk of similar punishment for coverage the President deems insufficiently favorable.”
Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., attorney for the outlets, said the White House was still blocking their reporters from “the very locations that the president most frequently engages with the press.”
Source Read the Associated Press report on PBS NewsHour here.
Image James Brady Press Briefing Room 2007 by Kellerbn, licensed under CC BY 2.5.
