SCIENCE · VERIFIED DEVELOPMENT
Trump Revokes Credentials of CNN, MS NOW, Politico, Prompting Lawsuit on Constitutional Grounds
WHY IT MATTERS
The case determines whether a president can unilaterally deny press access without due process, setting a precedent for executive‑press relations and the protection of journalistic liberty.
What happened
On September 19 2026, President Donald Trump revoked the White House press credentials of CNN, MS NOW and Politico, citing the outlets’ reporting of “fake news.” The revocation followed a social‑media post in which Trump warned that media outlets should not “write or report fiction and lies” about the president.
The three organizations filed a lawsuit on September 21 2026, arguing that the ban violated their First Amendment right to free press and their Fifth Amendment right to due process. The complaint notes that the administration failed to provide written notice of the reasons for the revocation or an opportunity to respond.
The case is now before a federal judge who previously handled the 2018 Jim Acosta credential dispute, raising expectations that the judge may issue a temporary reinstatement while the legal challenge proceeds. The outcome will clarify the extent of presidential authority over press access and the constitutional safeguards that apply.
PRIMARY SOURCES
When presidents ban journalists from the White House, the First Amendment is not the only constitutional right at stake
The Conversation US · Wayne Unger, Associate Professor of Law, Quinnipiac University · CC BY-ND; link/attribution intake only—no edited republication