Trump’s ‘FICTION And LIES’ Claim Fails In Court As Judge Restores Media Access
A US federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to restore White House access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, ruling that the ban on the three news organisations was likely unconstitutional.
US District Judge Tim Kelly issued the order on Thursday in a lawsuit filed by the three media organisations after Trump announced the access restrictions on September 18.
Trump had barred the outlets from the White House, accusing them of publishing false and misleading reports about his administration. In a Truth Social post, the US president said the organisations should not be allowed to “constantly write or report FICTION and LIES” about him, his administration or the United States.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico challenged the decision in court, arguing that the administration had violated First Amendment protections and due process. Justice Department lawyers defended the restrictions, including by citing national security concerns.
Kelly’s ruling followed a hearing on Wednesday, during which the judge questioned the administration’s justification and raised concerns about whether journalists had received adequate due process before their White House access was revoked.
The dispute has also triggered a broader response from US media organisations.
Major television networks suspended their participation in the White House press pool after CNN, MS NOW and Politico were barred. The three outlets have also said they planned to sue the Trump administration, arguing that the government should not determine what the press reports.
Other major organisations, including The New York Times and The Washington Post, stopped sharing some coverage and still images from Trump’s events.
The dispute meant there was no network television footage of Trump boarding Air Force One or arriving in New York for the UN General Assembly.
Amid the standoff, the White House launched Trump TV, a 24/7 streaming service featuring clips of the president and footage from his public appearances.
The White House press pool typically enables news organisations to share footage from presidential events, reducing the need for separate crews to cover the same appearances.
Trump later appeared on television after meeting New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani told the president that all members of the media would be welcome at the press conference.
Trump, meanwhile, dismissed the impact of the media boycott, saying: “It’s interesting because, they said they were going to boycott me, but they never boycott me, so I wasn’t very worried about that. Look at all that press.”
CNN, MS NOW and Politico can return to the White House after the judge ordered the Trump administration to immediately restore their press access.