A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore White House access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico after their press credentials were revoked last week.
WEBDESK – MEDIABITES
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to immediately restore White House press access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico, temporarily blocking President Donald Trump’s ban on the three news organizations.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a 14-day temporary restraining order early Thursday after the outlets challenged the administration’s decision in federal court. The order requires the government to return, reinstate and restore the journalists’ White House press credentials while the broader legal dispute continues.
Trump announced the ban on Sept. 18, accusing the three outlets of repeatedly publishing what he characterized as false or misleading coverage. The outlets subsequently argued that removing their White House access violated the First Amendment and their constitutional right to due process.
Kelly found that the news organizations were likely to succeed in showing that their press passes had been revoked without constitutionally adequate due process. He noted that they had not received advance notice or a meaningful opportunity to challenge the decision before their credentials were revoked.
The administration later argued that the restrictions were connected to national security concerns and alleged problems with the outlets’ reporting. Kelly rejected that justification for purposes of the temporary order, saying the record did not provide sufficient factual support showing that the revoked access posed a national security risk.
The judge also noted that Trump’s initial public explanation for the ban focused on the alleged lack of truthfulness and negativity of the outlets’ reporting rather than national security.
The Justice Department had argued that access to the White House is a privilege rather than an entitlement and that the president has authority to restrict journalists who fail to meet established standards for professional conduct.
Kelly, however, questioned whether those standards had been clearly established before the credentials were revoked. He also pointed to previous court decisions requiring due process when White House press credentials are suspended or revoked.
The dispute has already affected the White House press operation. Other major television networks suspended their participation in the rotating television press pool after CNN was excluded, limiting the pool’s usual coverage of presidential events.
The three outlets sued Trump and other administration officials on Monday, seeking immediate restoration of their access. Their case now moves forward while Kelly’s temporary order remains in effect.
The administration is expected to challenge the ruling, while the court considers whether longer-lasting relief should be granted.
