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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, dealing a setback to the president’s attempt to bar the media organisations 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 proceeds.
Kelly said the three media organisations were likely to succeed in their claims that the ban violated their right to due process and constitutional protections for press freedom.
The First Amendment to the US Constitution protects freedom of the press.
Trump barred CNN, MS Now and Politico journalists from the White House on September 18, accusing the outlets of publishing what he described as “fake news” and “fiction and lies”.
The three organisations subsequently filed a joint lawsuit, seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the administration from enforcing the ban.
A previous court order had temporarily restored the journalists’ White House credentials, but that protection was due to expire on Tuesday. Kelly’s latest ruling extends the relief, allowing them to retain access as the case continues.
“The Court will extend the relief it already ordered, which will continue to preserve the status quo while this case proceeds,” Kelly wrote in an opinion accompanying the order.
He also observed that Trump likely barred the outlets because he believed their reporting was inaccurate and biased against him.
“President Trump likely banned Plaintiffs from the White House because he believes that their reporting is generally inaccurate and biased against him,” Kelly added.
Trump has repeatedly criticised media organisations whose coverage challenges his administration, frequently describing the press as the “enemy of the people”.
The ruling means CNN, MS Now and Politico journalists must continue to have White House access while the legal challenge to the ban remains before the court.
