Judge Temporarily Lifts Trump Media Ban on CNN, MSNow, Politico
A federal judge ruled that journalists from the three outlets must have their White House access reinstated.
A federal judge on Thursday ordered President Donald Trump to temporarily lift his ban on three media outlets from accessing the White House.
US District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order blocking the ban and mandating the reinstatement of access for CNN, MSNow, and Politico. The order will remain in effect for 14 days as the legal proceedings continue.
President Trump had restricted journalists from the three outlets on Friday, citing what he described as "fake news" reporting that was "fiction and lies."
During the hearing, Kelly expressed skepticism about the president's decision, noting that the White House had not provided the outlets with "constitutionally adequate due process." Journalists from the affected outlets who attempted to enter the White House over the weekend had their press passes revoked.
Justice Department lawyers argued that the reporting by these outlets concerning the Iran war and a White House ballroom project could pose a national security risk, justifying the ban. Attorney Michael Velchik urged the judge to delay restoring passes until after Chinese leader Xi Jinping's visit on Thursday, citing national security concerns.
The White House appeared prepared for a ruling in favor of the media organizations. President Trump had previously stated he would "probably" allow the banned outlets back if ordered by the courts, and he acknowledged on social media that Kelly was likely to rule in their favor.
President Trump appointed Judge Kelly to the federal district court in Washington in 2017. Kelly issued a similar ruling in 2018, ordering the Trump administration to return the press credentials of then-CNN anchor Jim Acosta after a dispute during a press conference. At that time, news organizations, including CNN, sued to restore Acosta's access. The White House eventually reinstated Acosta's pass, leading CNN to drop its lawsuit.
In the 2018 case, Justice Department lawyers had argued that there was no general constitutional right for the press to enter the White House, leaving access to the discretion of the White House. News organizations stated then that "it is imperative that independent journalists have access to the president and his activities and that journalists are not barred for arbitrary reasons."