White House officials said in a court filing Tuesday that President Trump had determined that CNN, MS NOW and Politico had breached standards of conduct, leading to their expulsion from the White House grounds. The filing argues that "Access to the White House is a privilege — not a right," and that the ban does not violate the First Amendment. The outlets were denied access on Saturday morning after Trump announced the ban on Truth Social, claiming they "shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICT ION and LIES." By Monday, the news organizations had sued, arguing the ban "brazenly discriminates based on editorial viewpoint" and deprived them of due process. U.S. District Judge Timothy J.

Kelly, nominated by Trump in 2017, will hold an emergency hearing Wednesday on the outlets’ request for a temporary court order. The government filing included letters citing specific stories: CNN’s January 2026 report on "top-secret" East Wing bunker details, MS NOW’s June 2026 claim about Trump underestimating Iran’s willingness to resume conflict, and Politico’s alleged publication of a document detailing White House ballroom funding and Secret Service security plans. The outlets said they received zero advance notice.

In 2018, Judge Kelly ruled against Trump in a similar case involving CNN’s Jim Acosta, ordering credentials restored due to insufficient notice. Trump said he would likely appeal Kelly’s upcoming ruling. Other news organizations have shown solidarity with the banned outlets.