CNN chief Mark Thompson says the network will fight the ban "to the end"
Mark ThompsonChairman and chief executive of CNN Worldwide, speaking on CNN
Speaking on CNN after the preliminary injunction, CNN chairman Mark Thompson called the ruling a vote of confidence in free speech on behalf of the public and said CNN would fight the ban to the end, whatever the cost.
“To me, it's a vote of confidence in free speech and our right, not really so much for ourselves but on behalf of the public everywhere ... No matter how many court cases, investigations, court appearances, and all the expense that that entails, we will fight this one to the end”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Should President Trump bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House over their coverage?
On Friday, September 18, 2026, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that, "effective immediately, I am banning" CNN, MS NOW and Politico "from the White House as a result of their constant 'reporting' FAKE NEWS!" About an hour later, in the Oval Office, he said no particular story prompted the decision, that he does not want the outlets "in my office," and that "somebody has a right to keep them away" if outlets write false stories. The three outlets and press-freedom groups oppose the exclusion, citing constitutional protection for the press, and the White House Correspondents' Association said it "stands in defense of our colleagues at CNN, MSNOW, and POLITICO." On Saturday, September 19, MS NOW, CNN and Politico said their White House reporters were refused entry and had press passes confiscated; the White House referred questions to Trump's earlier remarks. The dispute is over whether President Trump should exclude named news organizations from White House access over what they report.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
TheWrap report on CNN chairman Mark Thompson's remarks on CNN on October 14, 2026, the day after Judge Timothy Kelly granted a preliminary injunction against the White House press ban.
Before the quotation
On October 13 Judge Timothy Kelly granted CNN, MS NOW and Politico a preliminary injunction, finding they were likely to win on their First Amendment and due process claims.
After the quotation
Thompson also said CNN would cooperate with the Justice Department's antitrust inquiry into the networks' suspension of pool coverage while remaining prepared to fight.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case asks whether President Trump should bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House over their coverage. Thompson welcomes the ruling against the ban and pledges to keep fighting it. That opposes the ban, so we labeled it Condemned. The closest competing label is Mixed or conditional; it loses because he endorses no part of the ban.
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More from this case
Read the full caseFreedom of the Press Foundation calls the ruling a "stinging defeat" for the press ban
Freedom of the Press Foundation
“This decision is a stinging defeat for Trump's assault on the free press and a powerful vindication of the First Amendment. As Judge Kelly recognized, presidents don't get to use their power to purge journalists because they don't like what they report.”Read statement
Reporters Committee says the injunction ends a "blatantly unconstitutional attempt" to punish news outlets
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
“The court has put an end to a blatantly unconstitutional attempt to punish news outlets for coverage the president doesn't like. The decision protects not only CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, but all the other holders of White House passes who continued to work under the threat of retaliation — and of course the public, which deserves timely and accurate information from a press corps free from government intimidation.”Read statement
Boutrous says the court was right to block the White House press ban
“The harm this ban did to our clients, the First Amendment, and the public as a whole is profound ... The Court was right to enjoin the White House from enforcing this ‘unconstitutional ban on the free press’ for the foreseeable future.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "CNN chief Mark Thompson says the network will fight the ban "to the end"". First published: 2026-10-16. Last updated: 2026-10-16. https://disputeindex.com/events/5876-speaking-on-cnn-after-the-preliminary-injunction-cnn