US Justice Department backs Trump’s ban on three media outlets at White House — CNBC
The US Department of Justice urged a federal judge not to block President Donald Trump’s complete ban on access to the White House for MS NOW, CNN and Politico. In a court filing, the department said that access to the White House grounds is a privilege, not a right, CNBC reports.
Justice Department’s arguments
According to the Justice Department, Trump’s decision, made on Friday, was driven by national security considerations. The department said the president concluded that the plaintiffs had published classified or sensitive information related to national security.
The Justice Department also said that the First Amendment to the US Constitution does not guarantee journalists the right to access the White House.
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Media lawsuit
MS NOW, CNN and Politico filed a lawsuit against Trump on Monday and are asking the court to prohibit the continuation of the restrictions. Their lawyer was set to present arguments during a scheduled teleconference at the US District Court in Washington before Judge Timothy Kelly.
The plaintiffs argue that the ban was motivated by viewpoint discrimination — treatment of media outlets because of their alleged ideology, opinions or perspective.
The Justice Department also attached letters to each of the media outlets dated Tuesday. The outlets were offered the opportunity to challenge the initial decision and its factual basis by 5:00 p.m. on September 25, 2026. If no response is received, the decision will become final.
