Trump bans CNN, Politico, MSNOW from WH amid First Amendment fight — SkimNews
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- Trump banned CNN, MSNOW, and Politico from the White House on September 18, 2026, citing their coverage as 'FAKE NEWS', marking a new escalation in his administration’s conflict with critical media.
- CNN, MSNOW, and Politico filed a lawsuit on September 21 in D.C. federal court, arguing the ban constitutes unlawful retaliation for protected speech under the First Amendment and violates due process rights.
- U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly scheduled a hearing for September 23 on the outlets’ request for a temporary restraining order, having previously blocked Trump from banning a CNN reporter during his first term.
- Lucy Dalglish, University of Maryland journalism professor, stated that once the government opens press access, it cannot restrict entry based on viewpoint—a core legal principle undermining the ban’s justification.
- Douglas Mirell, First Amendment lawyer, emphasized that disagreeing with a news outlet’s opinion has never been a legally compelling reason to restrict access, especially without formal procedures or security grounds.
- The White House deactivated the hard passes of reporters from the banned outlets, denying them entry to White House grounds without advance notice or opportunity to appeal, according to the lawsuit.
Why it matters: The ban directly challenges long-standing First Amendment norms by conditioning press access on editorial favorability, risking precedent that protects journalists from government retaliation. If upheld, it could empower future administrations to exclude critical media without due process, altering the balance of power between the press and executive branch.
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