A US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore White House access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico after temporarily blocking the president’s ban on the three news organisations.
US District Judge Timothy Kelly issued the order early Thursday, directing the administration to immediately return and reinstate the journalists’ press credentials. The temporary restraining order will remain in effect for 14 days while the legal battle continues.
The three media organisations had sued President Donald Trump and other administration officials after their White House access was revoked. They argued that the restrictions violated First Amendment protections for freedom of the press as well as their constitutional right to due process.
Judge Kelly said the journalists were likely to succeed in showing that their due process rights had been violated because they were not given prior notice or an opportunity to challenge the decision before their credentials were withdrawn.
The judge also expressed doubts about the administration’s national security justification for the restrictions. He noted that Trump had initially cited what he described as false and negative reporting by the outlets when announcing the ban, rather than national security concerns.
The White House and Justice Department had argued that the outlets’ reporting included material they considered false, unprofessional or damaging to national security. Government lawyers cited reports concerning issues such as US missile stockpiles, construction of a proposed White House ballroom and attendance at a Republican convention.
However, Kelly said the administration had provided insufficient factual support for its claim that keeping the journalists out of the White House was necessary to protect national security.
The White House initially did not immediately comply in practice. Journalists from the three organisations were turned away Thursday morning even after the judge’s order, prompting their lawyers to seek an emergency hearing.
White House press operations director Micah Stopperich later told the court that the administration had begun restoring the affected journalists’ credentials and that their badges were made available for collection. The reporters were subsequently allowed back onto the White House grounds.
The dispute unfolded as Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House. CNN and MS NOW later reported that some of their journalists were still denied access to Xi’s arrival ceremony despite the broader restoration of White House access.
The case is expected to continue as the administration considers its legal options, with the temporary order allowing CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists to retain access while the court considers the wider dispute.
