A federal judge has ordered the White House to restore press access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico after President Donald Trump barred the three news organisations from the building.
US District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a 14-day temporary restraining order on Thursday, requiring the administration to immediately return and reinstate the outlets’ White House press credentials. The order will remain in effect while the broader legal dispute continues.
The three organisations had sued the Trump administration after their reporters were denied entry to the White House and had their hard passes confiscated. They argued that the ban violated their First Amendment rights and denied them due process.
The administration defended the restrictions by accusing the outlets of publishing false or sensitive information and arguing that access to the White House is a privilege rather than a right.
The Question of Due Process
Kelly, however, questioned the administration’s justification and said the outlets were likely to succeed in showing that the White House had failed to provide adequate due process before revoking their credentials. The judge also rejected the administration’s national security argument as insufficiently supported by the evidence presented to the court.
“The record lacks factual support” for the claim that revoking the journalists’ passes would protect national security, Kelly said, according to the ruling. Kelly further noted that Trump’s initial announcement focused on what he described as false and negative reporting rather than national security concerns. The judge also questioned the connection between the specific reports cited by the administration and the journalists whose passes were revoked.
The reports referenced by the government included stories about construction work at the White House, including plans for a new ballroom and a security bunker, as well as reporting on an internal information-leak investigation. The ruling follows a Wednesday hearing during which Kelly had already expressed doubts about the legality of the ban.
The White House can still pursue further legal action as the case continues. The temporary order does not resolve the underlying constitutional dispute over the administration’s decision to exclude the three outlets.
US Justice Department Defends White House Ban on CNN, Politico and MS NOW
