Archive · 26 Sep 2026
TV Networks Resume White House Coverage Amid Press Access Battle
Television networks take turns filming important events at the White House.
They share their video with other news organizations.
The networks stopped filming together after CNN, MS NOW and Politico were blocked from the White House.
On Friday, they started filming again.
Their cameras showed Xi Jinping arriving to meet Donald Trump and visiting the National Archives.
A judge said the ban on the three news outlets probably broke the Constitution.
The judge ordered the White House to let them return.
CNN and MS NOW said some of their reporters were still kept out of part of Xi’s visit.
The legal disagreement will continue in court.
Television networks resumed live pool coverage of President Donald Trump’s White House events on Friday, September 25.
The pool showed Chinese President Xi Jinping arriving at the White House and touring the National Archives with Trump.
CNN, ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC had paused camera operations in solidarity after three outlets were blocked.
A federal judge ruled the ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico likely unconstitutional and ordered their access restored.
The outlets said some journalists were still denied access, while the court fight over continued press access remains unresolved.
- Who
- President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, CNN, MS NOW, Politico and television networks including ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC.
- What
- Television networks resumed White House pool coverage while news organizations continued challenging restrictions on press access.
- When
- Friday, September 25; the judge ordered access restored on Thursday.
- Where
- The White House and National Archives in Washington.
- Why
- The administration had blocked three outlets over coverage it characterized as false or negative, while the outlets argued the ban violated free-press and due-process rights.
News organizations and press-freedom groups
White House and administration
Constitutionality of the ban
News organizations and press-freedom groups
CNN, MS NOW and Politico said excluding them violated First Amendment press protections and due-process rights. Press-freedom groups and news organizations supported their challenge.
White House and administration
The administration banned the outlets after asserting that their coverage was false or negative.
Whether access was fully restored
News organizations and press-freedom groups
CNN and MS NOW said some journalists were still denied access to Xi’s arrival, and the outlets’ lawyer warned that access could be revoked again.
White House and administration
The White House told the court it had reinstated the three outlets’ access, although it did not respond to a request for comment about the reported denials.
- Affected outlets
- CNN, MS NOW and Politico
- Television pool
- CNN, ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC share coverage costs and rotate responsibility.
- Events covered
- Xi Jinping’s arrival at the White House and the leaders’ tour of the National Archives
- Court ruling
- A federal judge found the access ban likely unconstitutional and ordered immediate restoration.
- Legal claims
- The outlets alleged violations of First Amendment free-speech and free-press protections, as well as due-process rights.
- Reported access dispute
- CNN and MS NOW said some journalists were denied access to Xi’s arrival for the White House state dinner.
- Next legal step
- The outlets had until September 28 to ask the judge to keep access in place while the case proceeds.