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CNN, MS NOW and Politico to sue Trump administration over White House ban
The 3 news outlets argued that leaving the decision unchallenged could undermine press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism without government interference
- PUBLISHED: Mon 21 Sept 2026, 2:19 PM
CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO said they will file a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the revocation of their White House press credentials.
In a joint statement, the three news organisations said the decision was made without notice or due process and came after the White House objected to their reporting.
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They warned that leaving the decision unchallenged could threaten press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism without government interference.
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Joint statement from CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO: pic.twitter.com/ZBt2qioLD8
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) September 21, 2026
The move follows Trump’s announcement on September 18 that he was banning CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO from the White House, accusing the outlets, without providing specifics, of reporting “fiction and lies”.
He did not explain what had prompted the ban but said media organisations should not be able to “constantly write or report FICTION and LIES” when covering the US president, his administration or the country.
The White House decision has drawn strong pushback from the affected organisations. CNN described the move as an “illegal assault” on press freedom and said it would defend its journalists’ right to cover the administration without government interference in an official statement.
POLITICO also vowed to continue covering the Trump administration and defend its First Amendment rights against any attempt to restrict its access.
“POLITICO will continue to fairly report on this White House and future ones. We will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights against any attempt to restrict them,” it said in a statement.
The news organisation also rejected Trump’s separate claim that it had received government subsidies, saying the allegation was false and had been “thoroughly debunked”.
It is extremely rare for US presidents to bar news outlets from the White House altogether, although Trump banned a CNN reporter in his first term and Richard Nixon put restrictions on the Washington Post for its reporting on the Watergate scandal, according to Reuters.
