As of noon today, reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico have been allowed back into the White House. A judge ordered the White House to let them back in last night but they didn't get in until today.
Journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico said that they were allowed reentry to the White House days after being banned and hours after a federal judge ordered their credentials restored.
This followed a chaotic morning, in which journalists from all three outlets were turned away from the White House by the U.S. Secret Service, and some had their press credentials seized.
Lawyers for CNN, MS NOW and Politico requested an emergency hearing after they were again blocked from accessing the White House on Thursday despite a federal judge’s early-morning ruling ordering the government to restore their credentials.
The White House claimed it had a process to restore access which began this morning and that badges had been reissued by 9AM:
...the government filed a declaration from White House press operations director Micah Stopperich outlining a timeline by which the White House had gone about restoring access. Stopperich said the White House began restoring badges at 7:10 a.m., and Secret Service said that badges were “turned back on” at 9:07 a.m.
But for whatever reason the reporters didn't actually get in until noon. Politico reported one of their reporters had his credentials confiscated.
A POLITICO reporter was denied access to the White House Thursday and his press credentials confiscated after a judge ordered the Trump administration overnight to immediately restore access for news organizations that President Donald Trump banned from the complex last week.
MS NOW and CNN said their reporters were also denied entry. The three outlets have been barred from the White House since Saturday, following an order from Trump to do so “as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!”...
A Secret Service agent told the POLITICO reporter who had his “hard pass” confiscated Thursday morning that he was not cleared to enter but might be able to with a temporary day pass. The temporary passes are granted to journalists who do not hold what are known as “hard passes,” which grant permanent access to press facilities at the White House.
Today's ruling is just a TRO which allows the reporters access for two weeks while the underlying case over their access proceeds. Other outlets had refused to provide regular pool access in protest of the three outlets being banned. As of today, the reporters are back but the pool video is still not up.
As of early Thursday afternoon, the TV pool remained suspended. The networks had previously indicated that they would not film the president until the White House not only restored CNN’s access, but also agreed that CNN could once again participate in the pool.
The result, on Thursday, was a bizarre spectacle: a president hosting China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, for a pomp-filled summit at the White House, with Chinese state television on-hand but no American network airing any live footage...
With the television pool out of action, Mr. Trump’s summit with Mr. Xi was covered by still photographers and print and radio journalists. The Associated Press, which is not part of the network TV pool, provided video coverage of the leaders at a military review in the Rose Garden, and planned to film an event later on Thursday at the North Portico.
The news outlets clearly knew about the judge's order (which happened around 1 AM) so why wasn't pool coverage in place for today? It sort of sounds like there was some slow-walking on both sides of this. The White House still wasn't letting these outlets in this morning and the news outlets still weren't doing the pool coverage they should have resumed once the judge issued his order.
The White House has said it would challenge any adverse ruling. It's not clear if that will include this TRO which is set to expire in two weeks.
Update: There was some excitement this morning as the Chinese press jockeyed for position at the White House.
Chaos ahead of Xi Jinping’s arrival at the White House as the travelling Chinese press corps push and shove their way into position.
— Connor Stringer (@connorstringer) September 24, 2026
Lots of shouting and raised voices as they refuse to move for Secret Service.
A reminder that they trampled a White House staff member during… pic.twitter.com/l78TYLLkaa
Editor's Note: The mainstream media continues to gaslight, spin, and lie about President Trump, his administration, and conservatives.
Help us continue to expose their left-wing bias by reading news you can trust. Join HotAir VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member