The Department of Justice is defending President Trump’s decision to ban CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, arguing that press access is a “privilege — not a right.” The DOJ cited national security concerns as the motivation behind the ban in a recent court filing.
This comes ahead of a federal court hearing where the outlets will challenge the ban, which they claim is politically motivated. The DOJ maintains there is no First Amendment right to White House press credentials.
DOJ Defends Trump's Media Ban, Citing National Security and 'Privilege' of White House Access
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has urged a federal judge to uphold President Donald Trump's sweeping ban on three news organizations from the White House, asserting that access to the presidential residence is a "privilege — not a right." This stance comes as the DOJ defends the administration's decision to revoke press credentials for MS NOW, CNN, and Politico.
US President Donald Trump speaks during an announcement in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Samuel Corum | Bloomberg | Getty Images)
In a court filing submitted late Tuesday, the DOJ stated that President Trump's decision to ban the outlets was driven by national security concerns. The administration claims that these organizations have reported on classified or sensitive information that could jeopardize national security interests. This filing precedes a scheduled teleconference hearing in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., where Judge Timothy Kelly will consider arguments from the outlets' legal team, who are seeking an injunction to reverse the ban.
The DOJ's filing directly counters the media outlets' lawsuit, which alleges that the ban constitutes "viewpoint discrimination" – targeting them based on their perceived ideology or critical reporting. However, the Justice Department contends that there is no First Amendment right entitling news reporters to access the White House. The filing also includes new letters, dated Tuesday, offering the banned outlets an opportunity to contest the decision and present their case by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 25, 2026, after which the initial decision would become final.
Disclosure: CNBC and MS NOW are divisions of Versant Media.
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