A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore White House press access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, ruling that President Donald Trump’s decision to bar the three news organizations was likely unconstitutional.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a 14-day temporary restraining order early Thursday, directing the administration to immediately return and reinstate the outlets’ White House press credentials while the legal challenge proceeds.
The ruling came less than a week after Trump announced on September 18 that the three organizations would no longer be permitted to operate from the White House. Trump had criticized their reporting as “fake news” and said the outlets should not be allowed to continue what he characterized as false reporting.
The news organizations subsequently sued the administration, arguing that the revocation of their credentials violated constitutional protections and denied journalists due process.
Judge rejects key administration argument
Judge Kelly found that the media organizations were likely to succeed in their argument that the administration failed to provide adequate due process before revoking their access.
The judge cited precedent requiring journalists facing suspension or revocation of White House hard passes to receive notice of the alleged violation and an opportunity to respond.
The administration had argued that access to the White House is a privilege rather than a constitutional right and sought to justify the restrictions partly on national-security grounds. Reuters reported that Kelly rejected that justification on the record presented to the court.
The ruling does not resolve the underlying lawsuit. Instead, it temporarily prevents enforcement of the ban while the case moves forward.
White House access dispute continues
The legal ruling, however, did not immediately restore normal access.
Within hours of the order, journalists from Politico and MS NOW reported that they were again denied entry to the White House. Reuters reported that a Politico reporter’s credentials were confiscated, while MS NOW also said its reporter was blocked. It was initially unclear whether CNN journalists had been permitted onto the grounds.
That development has added another layer to the dispute because the judge’s order specifically directed the administration to immediately restore the outlets’ access.
The White House media restrictions have also triggered a broader dispute over press access to presidential events. Major television networks had withheld pooled video coverage in solidarity with the excluded organizations, affecting the distribution of footage from White House events.
A broader constitutional test
The case now places the administration’s control over White House press access against constitutional protections involving due process and freedom of the press.
The administration maintains that it has authority to determine which journalists receive access to the White House and has disputed the characterization of the restrictions as retaliation for unfavorable reporting. The affected news organizations contend that their credentials were revoked because of their journalism and without adequate procedural protections.
For now, Judge Kelly’s order means the three outlets are to regain access for 14 days, unless the court modifies the order or issues another ruling. The underlying legal battle remains unresolved.
