CNN, MS NOW, and Politico File Lawsuit Against White House Ban

On September 22, 2026, President Donald Trump announced that he was banning CNN, MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), and Politico from the White House, citing their reporting as 'FAKE NEWS.' In response, the affected news organizations filed a federal lawsuit, claiming the ban violates their rights to due process and freedom of the press. The lawsuit was submitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The complaint states that the ban represents a direct assault on the First Amendment and a violation of constitutional principles. The lawsuit references previous legal issues between Trump and the press, including a 2018 case where U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly temporarily blocked the revocation of CNN reporter Jim Acosta's press pass. Judge Kelly ruled that due process protections apply to press passes, requiring advance notice and an opportunity to respond before revocation. The plaintiffs argue that Trump's sudden announcement lacked clear standards and did not provide an opportunity for the affected journalists to be heard. They contend that the bans discriminate based on viewpoint and retaliate against them for their reporting. The lawsuit follows a similar case where Judge Trevor N. McFadden issued a temporary restraining order against Trump's exclusion of Associated Press reporters from certain White House settings. The D.C. Circuit Court has yet to issue a decision on that case, which has implications for the current lawsuit against the White House ban.