White House blocks Politico from Air Force One amid press access lawsuit

According to MS NOW, Politico had been assigned as the out-of-town travel print pool for Trump's trip to Grand Island, Nebraska[3], where he was holding a rally with Sen.CNN reports that Trump announced on September 18 that he was "banning" Politico, CNN and MS NOW from the White House, and the outlets sued on September 21[1]. According to CNN, Judge Timothy J. Kelly issued a temporary restraining order requiring the administration to reinstate the journalists' press badges.[1]HuffPost reports that the order "didn't specifically address pool duties or Air Force One."[4] A White House official told TIME that flying with the president "is a privilege not a right."[5]Communications director Steven Cheung told TIME last week that renewing White House access was "different than allowing the pool into the events in the Oval Office or on Air Force One."[1]Ted Boutrous, the outlets' attorney, said in a statement reported by CNN that "It is critical that the White House is enjoined to keep this unconstitutional ban on the free press out of commission."[1]Sources told CNN that the White House offered Politico's seat to other news organizations and several declined[6].According to CNN, Judge Kelly is scheduled to hold a hearing on Thursday over the outlets' request for a preliminary injunction[6].