White House Justifies Trump's Ban on CNN, Politico, and MS NOW

<figure><img alt="U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press, before departing for Florida from the South Lawn, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 16, 2026." src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/T3T23ZWXHRB7PBSJ3TZ76O2HBI.JPG?auth=41782cead4958db3382a8b8ac7e336f670dac1f3a9110cc3fdb1c06d6cd0cb2d&amp;smart=true&amp;width=6000&amp;height=3375" /><figcaption>Nathan Howard/Reuters</figcaption></figure><p>The Trump administration has defended President Donald Trump’s ban on CNN, Politico, and MS NOW from covering the White House, citing “national security” concerns.</p><p>In court filings submitted on September 22, 2026, the Justice Department argued that Trump should have the authority to select which media outlets cover the White House, stating that the banned outlets failed to meet the expected levels of “professionalism and decorum.”</p><p>“After all, access to the White House is a privilege—not a right,” the filings stated.</p><p>White House officials responded in court documents to a lawsuit filed by CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, which claims that the president’s media ban violates their First Amendment rights. The organizations stated they received “zero advance notice” of the ban, which was enacted due to coverage Trump “dislikes.”</p><img alt="Trump announced he would ban the three outlets from the White House on Friday, saying they “shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES.” / Jessica Koscielniak/Reuters" height="4433" src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/UEINPYKCFFHZDCAFBI2KGUGEQY.JPG?auth=b217ffc8bf6fb4066b86c987eb6e1468525a672b0dc1d8eb18e2bf66d239aa20&amp;smart=true&amp;width=6476&amp;height=4433" width="6476" /><p>The White House contended that the outlets lost their “privilege” of access after “trafficking in verifiable falsehoods about national security and other issues, and publishing sensitive or classified information.”</p><p>The DOJ sent letters to each outlet citing specific stories of concern, including CNN’s reporting on “top secret” information regarding a bunker being built under the White House ballroom and several stories about the Iran war.</p><p>The White House also expressed discontent with a Politico report that described the “very bad” atmosphere at Trump’s GOP midterm convention in Texas.</p><p>The filing referenced historical precedent, noting that presidents have historically chosen which members of the press can cover them, citing President George Washington’s selection of reporters for his Farewell Address based on political considerations.</p><img alt="Donald Trump has long decried media coverage he doesn’t like as “fake news.” / Win McNamee/Getty Images" height="1305" src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/NXXNYTCRDZFIBDOEEOY54U2RKY.jpg?auth=35a5da19090f20691c540525142634acfc295ded1d9902b0565df1e6c0514b2c&amp;smart=true&amp;width=2320&amp;height=1305" width="2320" /><p>“The President has found that Plaintiffs have engaged in a number of reporting incidents that have threatened national security,” the filings stated.</p><p>“The President determined that Plaintiffs have failed to maintain minimum professional journalistic standards by publishing classified and national security information.”</p><p>Ted Boutrous, a First Amendment lawyer representing the three media outlets, criticized the White House’s arguments, stating, “This is an exceptionally weak response. We look forward to the hearing,” as reported by Politico.</p><video id="cZiK3zuI" poster="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/cZiK3zuI/poster.jpg"><source src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/cZiK3zuI.mp4" type="video/mp4" /></video><p>U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly, nominated by Trump in 2017, will hold an emergency hearing on September 24, 2026, to consider the media outlets’ request for a temporary court order to revoke the ban.</p><p>In 2018, Kelly ruled against Trump by restoring the press pass of then-CNN anchor Jim Acosta after his credentials were revoked following a confrontation over Trump’s comments about a migrant caravan.</p><p>In a Truth Social post on September 22, Trump acknowledged the possibility of losing the First Amendment lawsuit due to Kelly overseeing the case, stating, “as usual, we’ll go for appeal.”</p><p>“They have drawn a great Judge, for them, a man who ruled in favor of Jim Acosta, who now seems to have disappeared from the Planet,” Trump wrote. “The Judge’s name is Tim Kelly, and he was, sadly, appointed by ‘TRUMP.’”</p><p><a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/white-house-gives-bonkers-excuse-for-trumps-media-ban/">Read more at The Daily Beast.</a></p>