Judge Blocks Trump White House Media Ban
A US federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico, ordering the White House to immediately restore the outlets’ press credentials and access while their legal challenge proceeds.
Judge Orders White House Access Restored
US District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a 14-day temporary restraining order requiring the Trump administration to return and reinstate the three organisations’ White House press passes.
Kelly said the outlets were likely to succeed in showing that their credentials had been revoked without adequate due process. He also questioned whether the government had clear standards governing when a journalist or organisation could lose White House access.
The order is temporary and does not finally resolve the wider constitutional lawsuit.
Court Questions National Security Justification
Trump announced the ban on September 18 after accusing CNN, MS NOW and Politico of publishing false and negative coverage.
The administration subsequently argued that restricting their access was also justified by national security concerns.
Kelly rejected that argument at this stage, finding insufficient evidence that restoring the outlets’ credentials would create a national security risk. The administration has maintained that White House access is a privilege and that the president has broad authority over who enters the complex.
CNN, Politico and MS NOW Challenge Ban
The three organisations sued the administration, arguing that the restrictions violated First Amendment press protections and their Fifth Amendment due process rights.
The dispute had also disrupted the traditional White House television pool, with major US networks suspending pooled presidential video coverage in response to CNN’s exclusion.
The underlying lawsuit will now continue while the temporary order keeps the three outlets’ White House access in place.
