On September 18, President Donald Trump made the decision to ban several media outlets from reporting on issues involving The White House and the President himself. These media outlets included CNN, MS NOW, and POLITICO. 

The reason for the ban is because the President strongly believes these networks were reporting false information that could negatively impact national security. President Trump shared his opinion on his social media account, Truth Social, that these media outlets “shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America.”

Soon after this announcement, the three targeted media outlets sued the President arguing that his ban violates the First Amendment and due process protections. When the President limits which journalists and media outlets can enter the White House press room, it becomes a question of how much power the President can have over the country, whether it is constitutional or not, and if the President is trying to censor American media.

Lucy Donnelly, a freshman at Hingham High School noted that the ban “violates freedom of press under the first amendment. I don’t think it’s right to ban historically liberal media outlets from The White House, said Lucy Donnelly, “especially in a time of much controversy.”

Following the media ban, CNN issued a statement that read, “CNN stands fully behind our White House team and their fair and accurate reporting. We have a right under the U.S. Constitution to do that reporting without hindrance or interference from the government.” Other news networks including ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox News suspended their pool television coverage in support of the media outlets that had been banned.

In addition to the lawsuit, the three targeted media outlets requested a temporary restraining order so that they could continue to have access to the White House press room. 

On September 24, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly granted their request. In his legal opinion, Judge Kelly ordered the Trump Administration to “immediately return, reinstate, and restore the White House ‘hard pass’ press credentials held by employees of CNN, MS NOW, and POLITICO that were revoked.”  Immediately after the ruling, CNN and MS NOW  began reporting again from The White House. 

In a statement, Ted Boustros, the attorney representing the three media organizations said, “This is a strong ruling vindicating freedom of the press, due process, and the rule of law.”

Hingham High School freshman Ella Rodehorst is interested in the future impact of this ban and how this will play out in the legal system. “I was very surprised to hear President Trump was able to enforce a media ban in The White House,” said Ella Rodehorst. “I will be very interested to see what this means for our country in the next couple of years, and if it continues to withstand in the future.”