A US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to immediately restore White House access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, ruling that the outlets were likely denied their constitutional due process rights.
Judge Timothy Kelly issued the temporary restraining order on Thursday after the three media organisations challenged the administration’s decision to revoke their White House press credentials.
The outlets had been barred from the White House after the administration accused them of publishing what it described as false and sensitive reports.
Kelly said the revocation of the journalists’ press passes “likely violated their constitutional due process rights,” noting that individuals generally must be given notice and an opportunity to be heard before the government removes a constitutionally protected interest.
Under the judge’s order, the journalists’ credentials will be restored for 14 days, unless the court extends or changes the order. Kelly also ruled that the decision cannot be immediately appealed.
The Justice Department had argued that the President has authority to control reporters’ access to restricted areas of the White House, maintaining that access to the presidential complex is a privilege rather than a right.
The White House Press Office accused CNN, MS NOW and Politico of publishing false information and sensitive material relating to national security.
However, Kelly questioned whether national security concerns were the actual motivation for the ban, describing the stories cited by the administration as “routine” on the record before the court.
The outlets’ lawyer, Theodore Boutrous, argued that punishing journalists for reporting information the government would prefer not to be published conflicts with First Amendment protections for freedom of the press.
The dispute has also drawn wider support from the US media industry. ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC announced that they would temporarily halt pool coverage of the White House in solidarity with CNN, saying the public has a strong interest in receiving accurate and independent information about the government.
The White House Correspondents’ Association and nearly 50 other news organisations also filed a court brief supporting the three outlets.
The ruling is not the first time Judge Kelly has intervened in a dispute between the Trump administration and CNN. During Trump’s first term, he ordered the White House to temporarily restore access for a CNN reporter whose press credentials had been revoked.
The latest dispute comes amid continued tensions between the Trump administration and several major US news organisations over press access and coverage of the president.
