CNN, MS Now and Politico to sue Trump administration over White House ban – live

Media Organizations Announce Lawsuit Over White House Press Credential Revocation; Additional Developments Reported

CNN, MSNBC and Politico stated on September 21, 2026, that they would file a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenging the revocation of their journalists’ White House credentials. The outlets said the action followed an announcement by President Donald Trump that the three organizations would be barred from White House grounds. They indicated they had notified the government of the filing and anticipated possible emergency hearings later in the week.

In a joint statement posted on X, the organizations said their credentials had been revoked without prior notice or process. They described the step as a response to their reporting and stated that leaving the action unchallenged would affect press access and independent coverage. The statement was issued once in the course of the day’s reporting.

Representatives for the White House did not provide a response to a request for comment outside normal business hours. No official explanation for the credential decision was released by the administration in the available statements.

The same day, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and wounded a Venezuelan man during a traffic stop in Austin, Texas. The man, identified by relatives and counsel as 28-year-old Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, was taken to a hospital in serious but stable condition and later placed in custody. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the shooting occurred on the city’s north side and that local officers were not involved in the federal operation. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, said it was leading an investigation with assistance from the FBI. Bystander video showed local officers arriving after the shooting and providing initial aid while federal personnel stated that an ambulance had been called.

Iranian state media reported that the United States had declined to issue visas to members of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s delegation, including communications staff, ahead of the UN General Assembly. Pezeshkian is scheduled to address the assembly on Wednesday. The reports described the visa decision as an unprecedented step. Pezeshkian would be the highest-ranking Iranian official to visit the United States since U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

President Trump posted on social media that, at the request of the military, he had directed that a planned 250-foot triumphal arch near Washington be designed to function as a military complex capable of housing and deploying drones, storing sniper ammunition, and positioning snipers on roof and plaza areas. The post presented the change as responsive to military requirements.

Litigants seeking to halt the arch project described the national-security framing as an attempt to address legal concerns. Attorney Nicolas Sansone stated that the justification did not resolve questions of congressional authorization. U.S. Representative Don Beyer, whose district includes Arlington National Cemetery, posted that drone operations near an airport raised safety issues and suggested the military designation was intended to strengthen the administration’s position in anticipated litigation. Beyer has introduced legislation to block construction.

The arch is one of several projects the administration has advanced for the Washington area, including a White House ballroom, renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, redevelopment of a golf course in East Potomac Park, and a proposal to add the president’s name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. When asked about the Kennedy Center, Trump repeated his view that the facility should carry his name in recognition of fundraising for renovations but did not state whether demolition was under consideration.

Trump is scheduled to meet New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani at Gracie Mansion during the UN General Assembly session. The meeting was confirmed by the mayor’s communications director.

On Saturday, Trump said he would appoint an artificial intelligence czar and establish an “AI Force” to monitor the technology, without providing further operational details. He has previously criticized proposals to slow AI development.

China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that President Xi Jinping will travel to the United States this week for meetings with Trump. The ministry expressed hope that the talks would contribute to strategic stability. The White House had previously indicated the leaders would discuss trade, artificial intelligence, and regional issues including the Middle East conflict.

The day’s reporting also noted demonstrations in Austin following the ICE shooting and the continued presence of protesters at the scene. No additional official statements on the credential revocation or the arch project were issued by the White House by the close of the reporting period.

The three media organizations had previously indicated they would pursue legal remedies if credentials were revoked. The lawsuit filing, once submitted, will be the first formal step in the District Court proceeding. Court records will determine whether emergency relief is granted. The administration has not yet filed a response in the matter.

Additional coverage throughout the day addressed the status of the UN General Assembly preparations, the status of the Iranian delegation, and routine updates on federal operations in Texas. No further incidents involving credentialed press or construction projects were reported in the same period.

The sequence of events reflects standard live-blog aggregation of official statements, court notifications, and local police reports. Each item is attributed to the originating source or agency.