A federal judge’s temporary restraining order restoring White House access for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico did not prevent the White House from excluding CNN from Air Force One for President Donald Trump’s Sept. 26 trip to Knoxville, Tennessee.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled Sept. 24 that the administration must temporarily reinstate press passes for the three outlets, citing a lack of evidence that revoking them protected national security. The order required officials to immediately return the outlets’ hard passes for White House grounds.
CNN was initially scheduled to travel with the president as part of the White House television press pool but was later excluded from the designated pool list for the trip, according to White House guidance. The pool, which rotates coverage among ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NBC, resumed operations Sept. 25 after the other four networks declined to participate in solidarity with CNN.
On Sept. 25, the pool aired live footage of Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping touring the National Archives, marking the first such coverage since the ban. CNN served as the pooler for that event, though its journalists were still denied entry to the White House earlier in the day despite the judge’s order.
The White House replaced CNN with Real America’s Voice News for the Air Force One pool, a conservative outlet not part of the traditional pool rotation. Trump attended a college football game between the University of Tennessee and the University of Texas at midday Sept. 26.
Judge Kelly’s order did not explicitly address pool duties or Air Force One access, leaving the administration to interpret the ruling narrowly. Attorneys for the outlets argued the decision should cover all aspects of press access, including pool assignments. The White House has not responded to requests for comment on the exclusion.
The dispute began Sept. 18 when Trump barred CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, accusing them of reporting false information. The ban triggered a boycott by the remaining pool members, halting coverage until the judge’s intervention.
Legal experts say the case raises First Amendment questions, as the judge’s order emphasized due process and the lack of evidence supporting the ban. The administration has not provided a public rationale for excluding CNN from the Air Force One pool beyond citing the judge’s limited scope.
The episode follows Trump’s longstanding criticism of media coverage, including past efforts to restrict access to the Oval Office and other restricted spaces. His administration has taken an aggressive stance against major news outlets since his return to office, though the White House has not detailed specific policies governing pool assignments.
CNN has not publicly commented on the exclusion beyond noting its scheduled role in the pool. The network’s attorneys are expected to seek further clarification on whether the judge’s order extends to pool assignments and travel coverage.
The situation remains fluid, with potential for additional legal challenges if the administration continues to restrict access despite the court’s ruling.