The three news organizations sued on Monday after Trump announced a surprise decision to bar them from White House press facilities, alleging that the ban violated their First‑Amendment rights and the long‑standing White House press pool arrangement.
Trump, who appointed the presiding judge, U.S. District Judge Tim Kelly, reacted on his Truth Social platform, calling Kelly “a great judge for them” because of a prior ruling that restored credentials for CNN’s Jim Acosta, and warned that the administration would “go for appeal.”
In his post, Trump accused the outlets of “fake news” and of violating national security with “false and defamatory stories,” arguing that they should not be allowed access to “the most important office anywhere in the world.”
The ban, announced on Friday, also prompted the remaining members of the White House television pool – ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox News – to suspend coverage of the president in solidarity with the barred outlets, leaving Trump without his usual rotating camera crew.
Major newspapers joined the protest. The New York Times and The Washington Post both announced temporary moratoria on publishing still photographs taken by the White House pool, citing support for the excluded news organizations.
Amid the media dispute, Trump traveled to New York City to meet Mayor Zohran Mamdani at Gracie Mansion. The two discussed housing projects such as the Sunnyside Yard redevelopment in Queens, with Trump noting his long‑standing interest in the site.
Mamdani also said the meeting included a pledge to deepen coordination between the city’s housing team and the White House staff, though no specific policy commitments were disclosed.
The lawsuit, originally filed by CNN in 2018 after a separate credential dispute, now seeks a court order restoring full press access for the three outlets and an injunction against any future bans.
Legal analysts note that Judge Kelly’s prior rulings favoring press access could make the case challenging for the administration, but Trump’s pledge to appeal signals a protracted legal battle ahead.