Archive · 23 Sep 2026
Trump's UN Clash With CNN Intensifies As Court Hearing Looms
President Donald Trump is arguing with several news organizations about access to the White House.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico cannot work from the White House grounds, but their reporters could still cover Trump at the United Nations.
Trump told CNN journalist Kaitlan Collins that CNN should not be there, saying he thought the network had agreed not to cover him.
Collins said CNN never made that promise.
The news organizations sued the administration, saying the restriction may violate press-freedom protections.
A judge is scheduled to hear their request to pause the restriction on Wednesday.
CNN had also been part of a group that shares television coverage of the president.
After CNN was removed from that role, the other major networks stopped the shared coverage for now.
The White House responded by creating a video stream called "Trump TV," which critics called government propaganda.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico covered Donald Trump's United Nations visit using UN-issued media passes.
Trump told CNN journalist Kaitlan Collins that the network should not be covering him, although Collins said CNN had never promised to stop.
The three outlets sued Trump and administration officials, arguing that losing White House access violates First Amendment protections.
A federal court hearing on their request for a temporary restraining order is scheduled for Wednesday before Judge Timothy Kelly.
CNN's removal from presidential pool duties led other major television networks to suspend pool coverage, while the White House launched a "Trump TV" stream.
- Who
- President Donald Trump, CNN journalist Kaitlan Collins, CNN, MS NOW, Politico, administration officials and U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly.
- What
- The outlets are challenging their loss of access to the White House, while Trump and CNN publicly disputed whether CNN had agreed not to cover him.
- When
- The confrontation and United Nations coverage occurred Tuesday, and the court hearing is scheduled for Wednesday; Trump announced the restriction Friday.
- Where
- The access dispute concerns the White House grounds and a federal court in Washington, D.C.; the reporters covered Trump at the United Nations in New York.
- Why
- Trump accused the outlets of reporting fiction and lies, while the outlets argue that the access restriction violates the First Amendment.
News outlets and press-freedom advocates
Trump administration
Legality of the restriction
News outlets and press-freedom advocates
CNN, MS NOW and Politico say losing access to the White House grounds violates First Amendment protections for free speech and a free press.
Trump administration
Trump says the outlets publish fiction and lies, while administration officials say they have not been banned generally and are only barred from working in the White House workspace.
What CNN promised
News outlets and press-freedom advocates
Kaitlan Collins said CNN never said it would stop covering Trump and that the network would continue trying to cover him every day.
Trump administration
Trump told Collins that CNN had said it would not cover him and therefore should not be at the United Nations covering him.
Alternative presidential coverage
News outlets and press-freedom advocates
A press-freedom advocate called the White House's "Trump TV" stream a steady diet of government propaganda.
Trump administration
The White House said the stream would provide videos and highlights of what it considers the Trump administration's achievements.
- Affected outlets
- CNN, MS NOW and Politico
- United Nations access
- The outlets entered using media passes issued by the United Nations.
- Court request
- The outlets are seeking a temporary restraining order blocking the administration's action.
- Hearing
- Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly.
- Trump's justification
- Trump said the outlets should not constantly report what he called fiction and lies.
- Television pool
- CNN, ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC make up the primary White House television pool.
- White House response
- The White House launched a "Trump TV" stream featuring videos and highlights of the administration's claimed achievements.