By Treasure Anneth
A US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore White House press access for journalists from CNN, Politico and MS NOW, ruling that the outlets’ ban was likely unconstitutional.
US District Judge Timothy Kelly issued the temporary restraining order early Thursday in Washington after the three media organisations challenged the administration’s decision to revoke their White House press credentials.
Kelly ordered the administration to immediately return and restore the journalists’ hard-pass credentials and blocked senior administration officials from enforcing the ban for 14 days while the legal dispute continues.
The ruling came after President Donald Trump announced on September 18 that CNN, Politico and MS NOW would be barred from the White House. Trump criticised the outlets’ reporting and accused them of publishing what he described as “fake news.”
The administration later argued that national security concerns were among the reasons for the restrictions.
However, Kelly found that the government had provided insufficient evidence to support the national security justification. He also focused on the lack of adequate due process before the journalists’ credentials were revoked.
Judge Cites Due Process Concerns
The case centres partly on whether the White House could revoke journalists’ access without first giving them notice and an opportunity to respond.
Kelly cited previous court decisions establishing due-process protections for journalists whose White House access is threatened.
The judge said the journalists were entitled to notice and an opportunity to be heard before their hard passes were suspended or revoked.
CNN, Politico and MS NOW had argued that the administration’s action violated constitutional protections, including First Amendment guarantees concerning freedom of speech and the press.
They also argued that the decision was linked to their editorial coverage of the Trump administration.
The Justice Department, however, maintained that access to the White House press facilities is a privilege rather than an entitlement and argued that the president has broad authority over media access.
Reporters Initially Remain Locked Out
Despite the judge’s order, the dispute did not end immediately.
Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were initially denied entry to the White House again on Thursday, hours after Kelly ordered their credentials restored. The outlets subsequently sought an emergency hearing over the administration’s compliance with the order.
The development added another layer to an already escalating legal battle between the White House and the affected news organisations.
Some reporters were later able to regain entry to the White House, according to reports.
Media Organisations Challenge the Ban
The three outlets filed their lawsuit after their journalists’ White House credentials were revoked.
The dispute also drew support from other media organisations and press freedom groups, which argued that excluding journalists because of their editorial viewpoints raises serious First Amendment concerns.
The wider White House press corps also took action after the ban, with members of the television pool suspending coverage in solidarity with the affected organisations.
Part of a Wider Media Access Dispute
The latest case comes amid broader tensions between the Trump administration and sections of the American media.
The White House has changed aspects of the traditional process for selecting members of the White House press pool, giving the administration a greater role in determining which journalists receive access.
Journalists covering the Pentagon have also challenged restrictive media policies introduced by the administration. In a separate case, a federal judge intervened after The New York Times challenged restrictions on reporters’ ability to publish information that had not been authorised for release.
The latest White House case is therefore being closely watched as a test of the relationship between presidential control over access and constitutional protections for journalists.
For now, Kelly’s order provides CNN, Politico and MS NOW with temporary relief for 14 days while the legal proceedings continue.
The underlying dispute over White House media access, presidential authority and press freedom, however, remains unresolved.
