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A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore White House access to CNN, MS NOW, and Politico after President Donald Trump banned them last week, citing negative coverage. U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly granted a 14-day temporary restraining order early Thursday (September 24), requiring the immediate return of press credentials to the journalists from these outlets.
Despite the ruling, some reporters were denied entry to the White House on Thursday morning. The outlets have requested another emergency hearing, claiming their journalists' hard passes were confiscated by Secret Service agents. The lawsuit filed by the news organizations argues that the ban violates their First Amendment rights and due process protections.
In his ruling, Judge Kelly, a Trump appointee, expressed skepticism about the administration's national security justification for the ban, noting that the reasons provided seemed to be an afterthought. He stated that the outlets are likely to succeed in proving that their credentials were revoked without adequate due process. Kelly emphasized the importance of a free press and noted that the administration failed to demonstrate how the reporting in question damaged national security.
The Department of Justice argued that the outlets' reporting jeopardized national security, but Kelly found no evidence supporting this claim. The judge's decision came after an emergency hearing where Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., representing the news organizations, argued that the ban was a form of retaliation against unfavorable coverage.
The White House has not yet responded to the ruling, but President Trump has signaled his intention to appeal. The case is seen as a significant test of First Amendment protections under the Trump administration, with implications for press freedom and government transparency.