A federal judge said Trump’s ban on the three news outlets was likely unconstitutional and ordered White House press access restored.
WEB DESK: A US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore White House access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico, after the three news organisations challenged President Donald Trump’s decision to bar them from the White House.
US District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled on September 24 that the outlets were likely to succeed in arguing that the ban violated constitutional protections and due-process requirements. Reuters reported that Kelly ordered the administration to immediately restore the journalists’ access.
News outlets challenged Trump’s ban
Trump announced the ban on September 18, accusing CNN, MS NOW and Politico of publishing what he described as false or inaccurate coverage of his presidency.
The three organisations subsequently filed a lawsuit seeking immediate restoration of their White House access. They argued that the administration’s decision violated their First Amendment rights, including protections for freedom of speech and a free press, as well as their right to due process.
The case was assigned to Judge Timothy Kelly, who was appointed to the federal bench by Trump during his first presidential term.
Judge questions process used to revoke access
During the earlier hearing, Kelly questioned whether the White House had provided the news organisations with a meaningful opportunity to challenge the removal of their press credentials.
According to Reuters, the judge referred to previous decisions from the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit concerning journalists’ due-process rights when White House press passes are revoked.
The news organisations argued that they were removed without adequate advance notice or an opportunity to contest the decision.
The Trump administration took a different position, arguing that access to the White House is a privilege rather than an entitlement and that the president had authority to suspend access. The Justice Department also cited national-security concerns in defending the administration’s position.
Court orders access restored
Following the legal challenge, Judge Kelly ordered the administration to return the outlets’ press access and blocked enforcement of the ban for 14 days while the legal proceedings continue.
Reuters subsequently reported that journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were still turned away from the White House later on September 24, only hours after Kelly issued his order. Politico said its reporters were denied access despite the court ruling.
The developments could lead to further proceedings over implementation of the judge’s order.
Broader dispute over White House media access
The dispute has also affected the broader White House press pool.
Major US television networks temporarily suspended pooled coverage of Trump’s movements in solidarity with the three organisations after CNN was removed from a scheduled assignment. The system normally allows television networks to share coverage of presidential events.
The legal dispute also echoes an earlier case involving CNN correspondent Jim Acosta. In 2018, Kelly ordered the White House to restore Acosta’s press pass after finding that the administration had not followed fair and clear procedures in revoking his credential.
