Trump-appointed judge questions whether national security concerns could ever justify press ban

Published September 23, 2026 5:55pm ET | Updated September 23, 2026 11:13pm ET



A federal judge questioned on Wednesday whether the Trump administration can rely on national security concerns to justify barring CNN, MS Now, and Politico from the White House.

Could national security reasons “ever be a winner?” U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee, asked a lawyer for the media outlets challenging President Donald Trump’s ban.

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