Monday, September 21, 2026

NEWSWEEK - September 21, 2026 The Insider - A battle over press access at the White House is now heading to court in a First Amendment fight.

The Insider

September 21, 2026

Dear Member,

Good afternoon – and happy Monday.

A battle over press access at the White House is now heading to court in a First Amendment fight.

Three major news organizations are challenging the Trump administration after their journalists lost their credentials.

Editor Matthew Robinson explains—

Three news outlets that President Donald Trump banned from the White House last week have filed a First Amendment lawsuit in a bid to restore their access.

In a joint statement on Monday, CNN, Politico and MS Now said: "This morning, we notified the government that we are filing a lawsuit today to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes."

"Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists' credentials because it objected to our reporting. Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public's right to independent journalism free from government interference," the statement continued.

CNN's Kaitlan Collins reported Monday that Natalie Harp, a close aide to President Donald Trump, showed him media coverage that ultimately led to the decision by the White House.

Here’s the latest.

Reader question today:

The First Amendment reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Where should the line be drawn between press freedom and White House control over access?

Let us know your thoughts here<—we’ll feature your comments in the next edition.

Now to reader mail. 📬

In the last edition we asked:

Could Yemen become America’s next forever war?

Here's what you had to say (edited for length and clarity):

David says: "1. A heartwarming tale of modern alliances: Houthis attack Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia asks Trump for help, and Trump suddenly remembers he has an urgent appointment elsewhere.

In a masterclass of foreign policy, the Houthis attacked Saudi Arabia, leaving Trump with no choice but to turn his back on MBS. Because nothing says 'close friendship' quite like abandoning someone the second they actually need help.
You've got to admire the sheer, unadulterated devotion. The second MBS actually needed a hand instead of a photo-op, Trump treated him like a bad loan. With 'allies' like Donald, the Houthis can basically take the day off."

Lloyd says: "Another screwup by the USA. Saudi Arabia was pounding Yemen a few years ago until the USA told them to be nice. That just allowed Iran to arm up Houthis to get stronger. We now see the result of what happens when you try to be nice to friends of Iran. The real mystery is how Houthis are as strong as they are and appear to have a continuing supply of missiles from Iran. Not sure what Saudi Arabia wants from the USA as far as the Houthis. The USA has some kind of agreement with Houthis. Surprisingly, it did not include Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has an army, air force and navy that are well armed and should be able to handle the Houthis on its own."

Green says: "Next or part of Trump's current war with Iran? I was under the impression that we were providing military support to Saudi Arabia during Trump's first term. The Europeans will likely help defeat the Yemen rebels if it comes to that."

bwallan says: "Probably not America's next forever war, BUT definitely Saudi Arabia's!"

Thank you for writing in.

We also ran a poll:

Who's winning the Texas Senate race?

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Paxton
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Talarico

The majority of you said Talarico.

We have a new poll today:

Influencer brothers Logan and Jake Paul visited the Pentagon and addressed service members last week, the Department of Defense revealed in a video posted on Sunday.

Do you think Logan and Jake Paul’s visit to the Pentagon was a positive way to engage service members?

Yes

In today's edition:

A McApproval problem.

Read this – and more below.

Commentary

Trump Is Playing the Media Like a Harp

Soon after President Donald Trump took action against the "fake news" media this weekend, blocking White House access to some of his least favorite outlets, the finger of blame began pointing to one blonde aide in particular.

Natalie Harp, the White House executive assistant whose intense devotion to Trump and gushing handwritten notes have fueled unsubstantiated gossip about their relationship, was the alleged trigger for the sudden ban.

Multiple reports citing anonymous sources from the White House claim Harp had shown Trump examples of unfavorable coverage on Friday, igniting a fury that resulted in him banning CNN, MS Now, and Politico.

Those media organizations are now suing the Trump administration on First Amendment grounds. And the fallout is spreading. CNN was the broadcaster on pool duty Monday, the opening day of the U.N. General Assembly.

Cut out from the White House, an alternative needed to be found. But other networks have refused to step in at short notice, including Fox News.

All of this media-focused furor is unfurling at a moment that Trump experiences his lowest-ever approval rating, as public anger boils over amid a cost-of-living crunch caused in no small part by his Iran war’s upending of the global energy markets.

The timing is perfect. Trump is, if polls are to be believed, in for a punishing set of midterm elections where his Republican Party may lose not one, but both of their congressional majorities due to widespread economic discontent.

Now, a good chunk of media coverage is going to be dominated by the one thing journalists love talking about more than anything else: themselves.

This is a gift to Trump who, despite his own unpopularity, knows that the media is trusted perhaps even less than he is.

Voters incensed by Trump’s ravaging of their household finances, who are paying over $4 a gallon for gas on average, and $6 for diesel, will turn on their TVs to watch wealthy, perma-tanned journalists complaining at length about their travails.

None of this is to say that Trump is right or justified in locking out critical media from the White House because he doesn’t like their reporting. One can only imagine what his administration would say were the same happening in Europe.

There is clearly much Trump would rather the media didn’t know or talk about, from the depletion of American arms stockpiles to critical levels, to his son’s Russian oligarch-funded wedding party, to the inflationary blowback of his own policies.

And everything else in-between. But the media will inevitably give undue prominence to the story about themselves, and so follows a Trump versus the media fight, in which many voters will simply wish a plague on both their houses.

"The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish," the president said in a post on Truth Social, a claim presented, to use a phrase popular in Trump-era media coverage, without evidence.

"It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS, something that has grown like Cancer in our beloved United States of America.

"It is corrupt, purposeful, pervasive, fully coordinated, and totally out of control. It is a threat to our National Security, and must be stopped, NOW!"

Overwrought, exaggerated, hyperbole. Of course it is. This is Trump. But a lot of people will recognize a grain of truth in there from their own experiences consuming media these past few years, as the president intuits.

And so this is a fight Trump is glad to have with the media, in the media. Because, while many voters aren’t rooting for him in this brawl, they’re certainly not rooting for the media either.

As Trump plays the media like a harp, his Rome burns in the background.

Do you agree with our editors? Send us a note here.

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