CNN, Politico And MSN NOW Sue Over White House Ban

Trump’s White House Press Ban Sparks Coverage Boycott

Picture courtesy of THE HILL

President Trump’s sudden move to revoke White House press credentials for three news organisations triggered an unusual show of unity among major TV networks, which said on Monday they would not cover his daily activities while the ban remains in place.

Mr Trump and the White House gave no indication that they intend to reverse the decision to keep CNN, MS NOW and Politico out of the White House. The trio filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to have their access reinstated, arguing the action violates the First Amendment.

Media Group Challenges the Ban

Legal and media observers said the organisations are likely to win temporary relief in court this week, which would allow their journalists to return to White House grounds.

The dispute is the latest in a long-running conflict between the Trump White House and the press, which has characterised both of his presidential terms. The ban drew criticism not only from media groups and Democrats but also from some Trump supporters who said they agree some outlets are biased, while objecting to blocking access.

Sean Spicer, the President’s first press secretary, said he did not dispute Mr Trump’s concerns about some coverage, but argued there were “more effective ways” to address them. He also criticised the timing, saying Mr Trump had been holding a major announcement on prescription drugs on Friday before the credential decision.

Networks Boycott Daily Coverage

In a move that expanded the fallout, the chair of the White House TV pool said on Monday that the pool would not cover Mr Trump while the ban is in effect. The pool, a rotating group of networks that covers the President’s events, includes Fox News, ABC News, CBS News, NBC News and CNN.

Hours later, those networks issued a statement responding more forcefully to Mr Trump’s decision. They said the public has a “vital interest” in receiving “accurate, independent information about its government” and added: “No administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting.”

The White House Correspondents’ Association and multiple press-freedom groups condemned the move, alongside prominent anchors at outlets that are often more sympathetic to the administration.

Court Hearing Set; White House Defends Decision

The standoff has raised concerns among political observers that Mr Trump is attempting to divert attention from other issues, including the Iran war and the economy—both described as dragging on his approval ratings ahead of the midterms.

Republicans face the prospect of losing control of the House and Senate in fall elections, which would give Democrats increased oversight powers. The campaign also comes as the White House has been without a press secretary since Karoline Leavitt resigned over the summer to spend more time with her family.

A national Republican strategist said the situation highlighted the absence of a press secretary, adding that the President’s approach appeared aimed at outlets he dislikes and that courts would likely require the networks to be let back in.

In the lawsuit filed on Monday, CNN, MS NOW and Politico said the ban “could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment” and “a more blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles”. A hearing on a request for a temporary injunction is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

The White House has defended the ban. After a Truth Social post on Friday said the outlets were being barred as a response to “FAKE NEWS”, the President repeated that position on Monday, telling supporters he was not launching an assault on the “Free Press” but overseeing an “assault on the FAKE NEWS”. A White House official told The Hill that “Fake News” had “no place” in the President’s Oval Office, adding that the organisations were still able to report from directly outside the White House.

Ripple Effects at Events

The consequences of the decision were visible on Monday during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the South Lawn helipad, where the President was inaudible because pool microphones were not available to capture his remarks.

“ So maybe this is one example of it backfiring just a little bit,” said Newsmax anchor Bianca de la Garza, as the right-leaning cable channel attempted to cover the event.

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22 September 2026

It's interesting that in the Bill of Rights, there is only one single non-governmental entity noted and whose rights are clearly stated, and that is the press.

The Founders thought press freedom so important in the nation they were creating that they noted it in the very first Amendment. Note the Founders did not say the press was obliged to be sycophantic.

When President Obama left office in 2017, he noted in his last WH press meeting that while he did not always agree with or even like what the media wrote about him, it was part of American democracy that the media have both free access and be allowed to write whatever they wish, as the people have a right to know and the people with great power must be held accountable.

Clearly Trump hates the US Constitution and hates the ideals upon which the United States was founded.