A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to restore White House access to CNN, MS NOW and Politico, granting a temporary restraining order against a ban imposed by President Donald Trump last week.
US District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled that the three outlets were likely to succeed in their claim that their press passes had been “revoked without constitutionally adequate due process.”
Kelly, a Trump nominee from 2017, stated that “individuals must receive notice and an opportunity to be heard before the Government deprives them of a constitutionally protected interest.” He found the administration’s cited standards of “professionalism and decorum” to be “so vague it hardly does the trick” and said the outlets had shown they would suffer “irreparable harm” without the order.
The judge also noted that the White House offered “little to back up their asserted national security interest” for the revocations. Trump had announced the ban by accusing the outlets of publishing “fake news,” focusing on alleged lack of truthfulness rather than security concerns.
Despite the ruling, a Politico reporter was barred from the White House later Thursday and had his press pass confiscated by the Secret Service, the outlet reported.
The three organisations had sued the administration on Monday, arguing the ban constituted retaliation against protected newsgathering and speech in violation of the First Amendment. The Justice Department had defended the decision as a lawful exercise of control over access to restricted areas, citing failures to meet professional standards and the publication of falsehoods or sensitive information.
