Federal judge grants preliminary injunction continuing to block Trump's media ban

On October 13, 2026, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly extended a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from banning reporters from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from accessing the White House. The judge ruled that President Donald Trump likely violated the law when he banned these news organizations on September 18 for distributing what he called "fake news." The decision preserves the status quo while the lawsuit brought by the media outlets against the ban proceeds, ensuring journalists retain temporary access to the White House grounds until a final judgment is made or an appeals court intervenes. Judge Kelly's ruling cited Trump’s public statements indicating that the ban was motivated by perceived bias and inaccuracy rather than national security concerns. The injunction follows a September 24 emergency order that initially reinstated press credentials for affected journalists. CNN, MS NOW, and Politico filed a joint lawsuit seeking to overturn the ban as a violation of their constitutional rights under the First Amendment. The judge's decision is seen as another setback for Trump in his ongoing dispute with the media over press freedom.