CNN, MS NOW, and Politico Have White House Access Restored

Politico, CNN, and MS NOW have regained access to the White House after a days-long legal standoff. President Trump barred the outlets from campus on September 18 because of their incessant, pervasive negative coverage. The legality of the act is irrelevant. The process was the punishment. No doubt, they would be ordered to return their hard passes, but for a few days, the media would throw a tantrum, paint themselves as victims, and deliver some shoddy First Amendment lectures despite still reporting on the White House. 

Judge Timothy Kelly ordered access be restored around 1:30 AM today, though a Politico reporter tried to gain entry and was denied mid-morning. Now, all three outlets are back (via Politico):

BAD NEWS: MS NOW and CNN "reporters" have regained access to the White House grounds

The peace and quiet with no leftist activists SCREAMING over the President was nice while it lasted 😂

We WILL continue our independent coverage of POTUS' state visit with Xi though! pic.twitter.com/dUhvu2ad3f

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 24, 2026

🚨 NOW: CNN has just RE-GAINED ACCESS to the White House following the federal court ruling

Trump could appeal, but his MAIN FOCUS is on Xi right now

Reporters from the barred networks are being ESCORTED back into the White House — which is compliance with the judge

It remains… pic.twitter.com/uJsvZhQkmo

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) September 24, 2026

A POLITICO reporter was granted entry to White House grounds Thursday after the outlet was denied access earlier in the morning despite a judge’s order to immediately restore access.

Theodore Boutrous Jr., the lead lawyer for POLITICO, CNN and MS NOW, the three barred outlets, alerted U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly Thursday morning that reporters from each company had been turned away despite his temporary retraining order early Thursday.

That order mandated that the administration restore the organizations’ access for at least two weeks while further litigation plays out. He asked for Kelly to hold an “immediate hearing” on the administration’s “non-compliance” with Kelly’s ruling.

It comes as President Trump meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

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