Citizens Sue Trump Over White House Media Ban

Six Americans filed Roth v. Trump on 26 October 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against President Donald Trump, Susie Wiles, Steven Cheung and Sean M. Curran. The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia and Yale Law’s Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic filed the 26-page suit for six citizens who rely on White House reporting. It follows the September barring of CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists. A federal judge extended an order blocking enforcement of that ban. In 2018, Judge Timothy J. Kelly ordered CNN’s Jim Acosta’s credentials restored after due-process violations. CONTESTED: Plaintiffs say the policy imposes unconstitutional viewpoint-based restrictions on a limited public forum. Jameel Jaffer said, "President Trump's ban on the free press is a direct attack on the American public." Katie Fallow said punishing critical reporting leaves the public with something closer to government propaganda. The complaint warns every White House journalist must account for the risk that a critical or ill-advised word may cost access. No White House rebuttal to this suit is on the record. Plaintiffs seek a declaration and an injunction barring enforcement. Separate cases involving the Associated Press, The New York Times and ABC continue. The court’s decision is pending.