The U.S. Justice Department urged a federal judge on Tuesday night not to block U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping White House ban on three news organizations. According to Sina Finance, the department said in a new court filing that Trump’s decision last Friday to immediately bar MS NOW, CNN, and Politico from the White House was driven by national security concerns.

The filing came ahead of a scheduled phone hearing in Washington, D.C., federal district court, where Judge Timothy Kelly is set to hear arguments from lawyers for the news organizations, who have asked him to issue an order blocking Trump from enforcing the ban. According to Sina Finance, the Justice Department told Kelly that the president determined the plaintiffs had disclosed classified or sensitive information involving national security, and that he therefore had a significant interest in restricting access to the White House complex by entities that pose such risks.

In response to the media organizations’ claims in the lawsuit, the Justice Department said journalists do not have a First Amendment right to enter the White House. The outlets argued that Trump imposed the ban out of alleged viewpoint discrimination, targeting their “potential ideological, viewpoint, or stance.”

The Justice Department also attached letters sent Tuesday to the outlets, giving them a chance to challenge the original ban decision and its factual basis. The letters referred to reporting published by the outlets that allegedly endangered national security. According to Sina Finance, the filing said the plaintiffs may submit any response by Friday, September 25, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.; otherwise, the preliminary decision will become final.