A US federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump to temporarily restore White House press access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico also ruling that his ban on the outlets likely violated the US Constitution.
US District Judge Tim Kelly issued a 14-day temporary restraining order requiring the administration to return the journalists' press passes immediately. The decision marks a major legal setback for Trump in his ongoing conflict with mainstream media.
The Trump administration revoked the outlets' access on September 18, accusing them of reporting "lies" and later claiming the move was based on national security concerns. However, Judge Kelly rejected the security justification with stating the record lacked factual support and noting Trump had explicitly cited "negativity" in their reporting as the cause.
The three news organizations filed a lawsuit alleging violations of First Amendment free press protections and due process rights. The judge agreed that journalists are entitled to due process before losing credentials also pointing out that the administration failed to provide advance notice or an opportunity to contest the decision.
Press freedom groups and major news organizations including Reuters, The Washington Post and Fox News backed the lawsuit with arguing that penalizing outlets over editorial viewpoints sets a dangerous precedent.
While the White House asserts that executive branch access is a privilege rather than an entitlement also Judge Kelly's order preserves the status quo while the full legal challenge proceeds.
