A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore White House access to CNN, MS NOW and Politico, finding that the outlets were likely to succeed in challenging their exclusion from the complex.
US District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order early on Thursday, directing officials to “return, reinstate, and restore” the journalists’ press credentials for at least 14 days while the legal dispute proceeds.
The decision represents an immediate setback for President Donald Trump, who announced the ban last week and accused the three organisations of publishing “fake news”. He also claimed their reporting raised national security concerns.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a joint lawsuit arguing that the administration had targeted them because of the content of their journalism. They said their access had been withdrawn without proper notice or an opportunity to respond, in breach of constitutional protections for the press.
Judge Kelly said the government had failed to set out clear standards explaining what conduct could justify revoking a White House press pass. He concluded that the outlets had met the demanding legal test for emergency relief.
The administration later relied on national security arguments in court, after the news organisations had launched their legal challenge. Government lawyers also submitted statements claiming that restrictions on media access elsewhere had reduced leaks, and that similar measures should be allowed at the White House.
Those arguments were not accepted as sufficient to prevent the outlets’ temporary return. The judge’s order requires officials to restore access immediately, although it does not represent a final ruling on the broader First Amendment claims.
Kelly, who was appointed to the federal bench by Mr Trump, issued a similar temporary order in 2018 after the White House revoked the press pass of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta following a heated exchange with the president.
The case is expected to continue after the 14-day order expires, leaving the administration’s attempt to bar the three outlets subject to further court scrutiny.
