Trump Faces Legal Fight Over White House Media Restrictions

0:00Ben Meiselas:Right before the midnight deadline, the Trump regime's DOJ filed one of the most deranged documents I've ever seen in connection with the lawsuit filed by Politico, CNN, and MSNOW after they were banned from the White House because Donald Trump didn't like their coverage. It's a clear violation of the First Amendment that they were banned from the White House. So they filed a lawsuit. The case was ultimately assigned to federal Judge Kelly. That's a Trump appointed federal judge in Washington, D.C. Donald Trump proceeded to make social media posts attacking Judge Kelly. It's the judge that Donald Trump appointed saying, Judge Kelly's going to treat me so unfair he's going to be so mean to me so i'm going to lose but i'm going to file this document anyway so then before midnight the trump regime doj filed this document they asked that 1977 precedent in the cheryl case be overturned on national security grounds and the trump regime claim that CNN and Politico and MSNOW were infringing upon the national security of the United States by reporting on Donald Trump's catastrophic handling of the war in Iran and Donald Trump's other catastrophic behavior.

1:26Ben Meiselas:So I want to go over with you what was actually filed and I want to talk about why this is so utterly deranged. Now, it should also be noted that Iran is now using Donald Trump's filings and behavior to say the following. This is Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson who said, when an administration slams its doors shut, even on American journalists, it happens to dislike and bars foreign reporters, including the Iranian president's media team, whose voices it would rather silence. It is not managing access. It is trying to hide the truth and further its misinformation campaign by trampling on the right of access to information.

2:11Ben Meiselas:A nation, referring to the United States that once took pride in tearing down the Iron Curtain, now finds itself standing behind one on its own. And so that's coming right there from Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson calling out the United States. Let's look at this deeply embarrassing and un-American court filing right before midnight where the Trump regime argues CNN, MSNOW, and Politico should be stripped of White House access in the name of national security. And in the new filing, the DOJ argues, even if the reporting is accurate, if it has anything to do with the war or whatever Donald Trump deems national security, Trump then calls you unprofessional and he bans you from the White House because he says, it's my home.

2:58Ben Meiselas:This belongs to me, so I don't want you in my home. Also, the DOJ throughout this filing used Donald Trump's deranged truth social post to make the argument. They're like, look at what Donald Trump truthed. This is what he truthed on September 20th. Then he truthed this on September 21st. And so the Trump regime is asking the judge to reject the outlet's emergency motion and allow Donald Trump to ban reporters and to overturn the 1977 precedent. There was a hearing today in a few hours, so we'll keep you posted, of course. But take a look at Donald Trump's deranged filing over here on the Midas Touch Network.

3:38Ben Meiselas:We go through the filings. We do a meticulous job to share with you what's actually being said. So the Trump regime DOJ files this. This was like last night, right before midnight. The White House is the home and workplace for the nation's commander in chief. Plaintiffs CNN, MSNOW, and Politico have long been granted privileged access to the White House grounds, but the president concluded they have failed to maintain basic minimum standards of professionalism and decorum expected of those given access to the White House complex, including by publishing sensitive or classified information. See Exhibit Letter 1 to CNN, Exhibit 2, Letter to MS Now, Exhibit 3, Letter to Politico.

4:27Ben Meiselas:So in response, Donald Trump revoked their continued access to the White House grounds. The DOJ says that the precedential case, Cheryl V. Knight, D.C. Circuit 1977, was decided wrong and should be overturned. So if you go to page four, you'll see the argument, if you want to call it that, and I'll put that in quotes, is Donald Trump's truth social posts. You know, those deranged lunatic posts he makes at like 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. So this is the argument section of a DOJ filing against this backdrop on Friday, September 18th. Donald Trump issued the statement, I'm proud to announce that effective immediately I'm banning fake news CNN MS Now, who recently changed their name from MSNBC due to lack of viewership and credibility, exclamation point, and Politico, the recipients of an illegal and ridiculous$8 million subscription.

5:24Ben Meiselas:Something about Joe Biden from the White House as a result of their constant reporting fake news, exclamation point, caps. Can you believe this is what's being filed by the Department of Justice in their argument section? Then it says on September 21st, Donald Trump further explained, the White House is not instituting an assault on the free press, something of which I cherish. It is instituting an assault on the fake news, something that has grown like a cancer in our beloved United States. It is corrupt, purposeful, pervasive, and fully coordinated and totally out of control. And then late last night, Donald Trump writes all of the sleazebags like third rate reporter Caitlin Collins of fake news CNN, a truly unhappy person said they weren't going to be covering me.

6:10Ben Meiselas:Then why were they ranting and raving like lunatics in the press area at the United Nations? Why was she there? Why was she there? She's got a Trump addiction and so does CNN and MSDNC. They're all sick, treasonous, and demented. The good news is that they have a great for them. The good news is that they have a great for them and totally disloyal judge. Okay. First off, it's like, I can't even read his sentences because speaks like an uneducated second grader. No offense to uneducated second graders who are far smarter than this. The good news is they have a totally disloyal judge, the judge you appointed, your judge.

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8:17Ben Meiselas:So I'm going and looking at his exhibits to see, okay, what are you saying that CNN did that makes you believe the national security is infringed. So this is the letter that was sent yesterday to CNN. In January, 2026, CNN disclosed top secret construction details related to the East Wing bunker, which is designed to protect the president in times of crisis or national security emergency. Next example, in July, 2026, CNN reported that the Trump administration was struggling to reconcile exactly where things stand on munition counts, which is true. The Trump regime is out of munitions as a result of the catastrophic war in Iran.

9:01Ben Meiselas:In August, 2026, CNN reported that multiple sources claimed the U.S. military had exhausted nearly 80 % of its interceptors. In September, 2026, CNN falsely reported an Iranian school was struck because of outdated intelligence when the United States attacked neighboring Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval base. Really? I mean, the Trump regime is saying that CNN should be banned from the White House because they reported accurately on the Trump regime slaughtering 168 little girls at Manab Elementary School or over a dozen children at Lemaire or the family at the wedding in Syriac or another family in Keshem.

9:48Ben Meiselas:We all know this happened. The Pentagon has a report on this, which the Trump regime is deep sixing. We know about it. The United Nations Human Rights Council, they did a report on this as well. We know this is what happened, but that's what you're saying is the national security threat because they reported on Manab? Doesn't this even make it extra sicker. Like again, these are sick, sick humans and these are vile pieces of trash. And this is the one to Politico. Here's what they're saying Politico did. That's treasonous that they need to be banned from the White House despite the precedent saying it's viewpoint discrimination and it's against the First Amendment to ban the press from the People's House.

10:35Ben Meiselas:This is what they said Politico did wrong. In April, 2025, Politico published a story claiming Secretary Rubio and Special Envoy Whitcoff were considering lifting sanctions on Russia. The Trump administration, however, has strengthened sanctions on Russia. No, you haven't. In May, 2026, Politico published a document detailing funding for the White House ballroom containing intricate descriptions of how the Secret Service would invest in security improvements. Politico thereby expressed a willingness to publish sensitive, undisclosed information relating to the security of the White House and the physical security of the president.

11:13The hell?

11:15Ben Meiselas:In August 2026, Politico cited a person familiar with Defense Department planning reporting that reduced U.S. military presence in the Pacific and Europe has threatened the Pentagon's influence around the world. In August 2026, Politico highlighted a source claiming the operation in Iran had exhausted U.S. stockpiles of long-range missiles. In June 2026, Politico cited a senior administration official granting anonymity, said the odds of a preliminary deal to end the conflict with Iran were between 80 and 85 percent. In September 2026, Politico playbook relied on unnamed sources to paint the Republican midterm convention in Dallas as a disaster.

12:00Ben Meiselas:Media reporting showed the convention at over 100 million live stream views. So that's the violation of national security, it says by Politico. And then MS Now, they said, in May 2026, MS Now reported on alleged leak investigation that the FBI was conducting focusing on a journalist. Such an investigation, if it existed, would be non-public sensitive law enforcement information. MS Now has demonstrated its willingness to publish sensitive information without regard for national security. In June 2026, MS Now claimed a source said that President Trump underestimated the willingness of Iran to resume conflict.

12:38Ben Meiselas:It seemed that they were right. In August 2026, MS Now claimed that the Iran conflict had significantly depleted the U.S. military munitions supply, which we know to be true. So on that basis, the Trump regime is saying national security. So what I just did there, the exercise we just did together, I just read you the filing. The Trump regime filing, you read it. So that's what they are having the Department of Justice file. Now, again, if you're okay with that, there's no political messaging before the midterms. that's of note, right? I mean, you're a lunatic. You like this behavior. Nothing I can do.

13:27Ben Meiselas:You deserve what you get. But reflect on this. The American people don't deserve this. We're so much better than this. We really are. We really are. This is loser behavior. This is psychotic behavior. It's dangerous behavior. It's predatorial behavior. No lawyer should be okay with this. No lawyer, in my opinion, should sign their name to these documents. It's so freaking shameful. But we had to do this diligent exercise together. So thanks for watching. We appreciate you. Hit subscribe. Let's get to 7 million subscribers. Thanks for watching. Appreciate you. Breaking news right now. My brothers and I wrote a book.

14:08It's called WTF America.

14:10Ben Meiselas:And well, doesn't that just say it all? It comes out officially this October, but you can pre-order your copy today just scan the QR code or click the link in the description below