On September 23, 2026, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, the Knight Institute, and others filed an amicus brief in support of a challenge brought by three news organizations to President Trump's decision to ban them from the White House. President Trump banned the news organizations—CNN, MS NOW, and Politico—on September 18, 2026, based on his assertion that they repeatedly reported "fake news" that was "purposely negative" and "one-sided."

The amicus brief argues that the press has, for over a century, fulfilled a crucial role by reporting on newsworthy events from within the White House on behalf of the American people, and that the president's decision to ban news organizations from the White House based on the viewpoints expressed in their reporting violates the First Amendment.

Status: On September 24, 2026, the district court granted the plaintiffs' motion for a temporary restraining order, requiring the government to restore the plaintiffs' access to the White House.