A US federal judge has ordered the Donald Trump administration to immediately restore White House press access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico after reporters from the three outlets were barred from the premises.
According to Channels Television, the ruling was issued on Thursday by US District Judge Timothy Kelly, who found that the administration’s revocation of the outlets’ press credentials likely violated their constitutional due process rights.
The three media organisations filed a joint lawsuit after their reporters were denied access to the White House and their press passes were confiscated.
Judge Kelly ordered that the journalists’ credentials be reinstated pending further court orders or the expiration of a temporary restraining order, which will remain in effect for 14 days.
The judge also ruled that the order cannot be immediately appealed.
The Trump administration had defended the restrictions, arguing that the president has authority to control reporters’ access to restricted areas of the White House.
The Department of Justice told the court that access to the White House is a privilege rather than a constitutional right.
National security dispute
The White House Press Office accused CNN of publishing false claims concerning national security and sensitive or classified information. Similar accusations were made against MS NOW and Politico.
The White House cited reports concerning the US-Iran war and alleged details about plans for a military bunker beneath a proposed East Wing ballroom.
However, Theodore Boutrous, who represented the media organisations, argued that Trump’s announcement of the restrictions did not cite national security as the reason for the ban.
Judge Kelly said the stories cited by the administration appeared to be routine and expressed scepticism that national security was the actual motivation for revoking the press credentials.
The judge had previously ordered the White House during Trump’s first term to temporarily restore access for a CNN reporter whose press pass had been revoked.
The latest dispute has also drawn support from other major US news organisations. ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC said they were halting White House pool coverage in solidarity with CNN.
The White House Correspondents’ Association and nearly 50 news organisations also filed a court brief urging the restrictions against CNN, MS NOW and Politico to be reversed.
The White House has since launched a streaming service, Trump TV, which it says will provide videos, presidential remarks and other highlights around the clock.
