Judge blocks Trump’s White House media ban, orders access restored

A federal judge Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, ordering the administration to immediately restore the news organisations’ access.

US District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a 14-day temporary restraining order while the outlets challenge the ban in federal court. He said the organisations were likely to win their case that their White House press passes had been revoked without sufficient due process.

“This is a high bar, but Plaintiffs have met it,” wrote Kelly in his order.

Trump announced the ban on Sept. 18, claiming the three publications ran negative and untrue coverage. The administration later said the restrictions were warranted by national security concerns.

Kelly rejected that argument, saying the court record contained no facts to support the claim that revoking the outlets’ press passes would protect national security. He also said that the White House had not given the organisations a real chance to challenge the decision.

Justice Department lawyers have said access to the White House is a privilege, not a right. The three outlets argue the ban violates First Amendment protections for freedom of the press and their due process rights. The legal fight will go on when the temporary order expires.