Trump Ban on CNN, MS NOW & Politico Is Overturned by Judge

A judge has shut down Donald Trump‘s attempt to ban MS NOW, CNN, and Politico from the White House. On the morning of September 24, the judge ruled that press credentials must be restored to the outlets that Trump blocked from White House grounds earlier this week.

The decision came after dozens of media groups and outlets came together to fight for the end of the press ban. Among those who participated in signing the brief to block the media ban were Fox News, CBS, ABC, NBC, Associated Press, and more.

Trump’s ban began last weekend when he denied press access to MS NOW, CNN, and Politico after accusing them of reporting “fake news.” The outlets announced on September 21 that they would be taking legal action, revealing in a joint statement, “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 statement continued, “Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting. Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference.”

In their lawsuit, the outlets noted, “This ban could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment nor a more blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles.”

That same day, ABC News, CBS News, Fox News, and NBC News announced that they would be taking a stand against the Trump administration by refusing to partake in the White House press pool, standing in solidarity with their fellow news networks.

“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government,” they said in a joint statement. “No administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting.”