A US federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to allow journalists from CNN, MS Now and Politico access to the White House, a setback to the president’s attempt to bar the outlets over their reporting.
District Judge Timothy Kelly issued the ruling on Tuesday, directing the administration to maintain the journalists’ access while a lawsuit challenging the ban continues. He said the three organisations were likely to succeed in arguing that the ban violated their right to due process and constitutional protections for press freedom. The First Amendment protects freedom of the press.
Trump barred the outlets’ journalists on September 18, accusing them of publishing “fake news” and “fiction and lies.” The organisations then jointly sued, seeking a preliminary injunction to stop the ban from being enforced.
An earlier court order had temporarily restored the journalists’ credentials, but it was due to expire on Tuesday. Kelly’s ruling extends that protection. “The Court will extend the relief it already ordered, which will continue to preserve the status quo while this case proceeds,” he wrote.
He also said Trump likely imposed the ban because he believes the outlets’ reporting is inaccurate and biased against him.
Trump has repeatedly criticised media organisations whose coverage challenges his administration, often calling the press the “enemy of the people.”
