Three major media organizations—CNN, MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), and Politico—announced on Monday, September 21, 2026, that they are jointly suing the Trump Administration after being denied access to the White House. The lawsuit follows President Donald Trump’s abrupt decision on Friday to ban the outlets, accusing them of reporting what he considers “fake news”.
Media Access Revoked
The legal action comes after reporters from the three networks were physically blocked from entering the White House grounds over the weekend. Entry badges for several permanent White House correspondents, including MS NOW’s Akayla Gardner, CNN’s Betsy Klein, and Politico’s Cheyenne Haslett, were deactivated and confiscated by the Secret Service on Saturday. The ban additionally led to CNN being removed from its video pool coverage duties on Monday morning.
First and Fifth Amendment Claims
In a joint statement posted to X (formerly Twitter), the outlets argued that the ban threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism. “This morning, we notified the government that we are filing a lawsuit today to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes,” the companies said.
The federal lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., alleges that the administration’s actions constitute “viewpoint discrimination”—punishing the outlets over the content of their news coverage, which directly violates their First Amendment rights. The plaintiffs are also invoking the Fifth Amendment, arguing their rights to due process were violated when their press privileges were revoked without warning or a process for appeal.
White House Response
President Trump defended his decision on Truth Social, insisting the ban is not an assault on the free press. Instead, he argued it was necessary to target “fake news,” which he described as “corrupt, purposeful, pervasive, fully coordinated, and totally out of control,” and a “threat to our National Security”. The White House has not yet issued a formal comment in response to the lawsuit filing.
The media organizations have requested an injunction to block the enforcement of the ban and immediately restore White House access for their journalists.