Judge Extends Order Allowing CNN, MS NOW, Politico Access to White House

A federal judge appointed by President Donald Trump has extended an order that prevents the administration from barring CNN, MS NOW, and Politico reporters from the White House, ruling that the restrictions likely violated the outlets' First Amendment rights. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday night, allowing journalists from the three organizations to retain their White House press credentials while their lawsuit continues.

A White House official confirmed to Fox News Digital that the administration intends to appeal the ruling. "The fake news has no place demanding a spot in the president’s Oval Office," the official stated. "The lies they smear are a disservice to the American public and tear at the very fabric of our democracy. They’re completely capable of reporting from directly outside. We intend to appeal this misguided decision."

Theodore Boutrous Jr., an attorney representing CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, welcomed the ruling. "We are grateful that the court ruled in favor of our clients CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO and secured access to the White House for these news media organizations and their journalists," the statement read. Boutrous accused Trump of restricting the outlets' access to punish unfavorable reporting and said the ruling protects the organizations' constitutional rights.

Kelly's ruling expands on a Sept. 24 temporary restraining order. At that time, Kelly found the outlets were likely to succeed on their Fifth Amendment due process claims. The judge now also determined that the restrictions likely violated the First Amendment, as they appeared motivated by Trump's objections to the outlets' coverage rather than national security concerns.

Kelly rejected the administration's request to suspend his ruling pending an appeal. The Trump administration had argued that White House press access is a privilege, not a right, and defended the president's authority to determine which journalists receive credentials.

President Trump announced the ban in September, criticizing the reporting of the three organizations. White House officials subsequently deactivated or confiscated reporters' credentials, leading the outlets and three journalists to sue over alleged First Amendment and Fifth Amendment violations. The lawsuit remains pending, with the preliminary injunction keeping the three outlets' White House credentials in place.