DOMINANT ANGLE
Amsterdam notes a blatant discrepancy between the court order issued overnight and its application being refused as early as Thursday morning by the White House, which kept CNN, Politico, and MS NOW journalists at the door.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
A Politico journalist had their press pass confiscated by White House security services Thursday morning, just hours after the judge's order.
- 02
The federal judge ruled that the decision to ban CNN, Politico, and MS NOW was likely unconstitutional, and the White House should have warned and consulted with the media before revoking their access.
- 03
Fox News and CBS, in solidarity, reduced their own coverage of the president by refraining from filming anything.
ANALYSIS
Amsterdam, Thursday, September 24, 2026. The Dutch press notes a striking discrepancy between a court ruling and its application on the ground. On Wednesday night, a federal judge estimated that Donald Trump's decision to exclude CNN, Politico, and MS NOW (the former MSNBC) from the White House was probably unconstitutional, reports the NRC, citing international agencies. According to the ruling, the White House should have first issued a warning to the media concerned and engaged in a dialogue with them before withdrawing their access. The judge suspended the ban with a temporary restraining order, intended to allow the three editorial teams to regain access "per direct".
Trump had banned these media outlets because their coverage did not suit him, accusing them of producing "nepnieuws" (fake news). The editorial teams appealed the initial decision. The NRC also reports an unexpected gesture of solidarity: Fox News and CBS chose to reduce their own coverage of the president, giving up filming, in support of their excluded colleagues.
But the judicial decision was not enough. On Thursday morning, a few hours after the order, a Politico journalist had his press card confiscated by security services when he presented himself at the White House, reports the NRC, citing CNN. An agent offered him, instead, a temporary pass reserved for journalists without permanent access to the press facilities. De Telegraaf confirms that Trump must readmit the journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, as the court has blocked his initial decision.
The Dutch press thus documents, in two stages, the gap between the judge's authority and the reality on the ground: an order made immediately enforceable, but editorial teams still left out on Thursday morning. The account hardly emphasizes the motives later invoked by the administration and focuses on the contrast between the text of the decision and its concrete application, leaving open the question of whether the White House will comply with it in the long term.
