A federal judge in the United States has ordered President Donald Trump to restore White House access for journalists from CNN, MSNBC, and Politico. The judge ruled that Trump's ban on the three media outlets was likely unconstitutional. The ban was announced on September 18, and the outlets had filed a lawsuit contesting it. US District Judge Tim Kelly issued the order, giving the Trump administration 14 days to comply.
The lawsuit was filed by the three news organizations on Monday, citing violations of the US Constitution's First Amendment protections for free speech and a free press, as well as their due process rights. The outlets requested a temporary restraining order to immediately reinstate their White House access. The judge rejected the government's assertion that the ban was motivated by national security concerns, saying there was no factual support for this claim.
According to the judge, Trump himself had stated that the ban was due to the "alleged lack of truthfulness and negativity" of the outlets' reporting. The White House and representatives for the outlets did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Trump's ban had sparked widespread criticism, with many viewing it as an attempt to silence critical media voices.
The legal battle unfolded just weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, in which Trump's fellow Republicans were fighting to retain control of Congress. Trump's job approval ratings are at record lows in opinion polls amid concerns over issues such as the Iran war and inflation. The judge's ruling was seen as a significant setback for Trump in his battles with the media.
The judge cited two precedents from the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which made clear that journalists are entitled to due process before their White House press passes can be revoked. The judge added that it did not appear that the White House had given the targeted news outlets a meaningful opportunity to contest the revocation of their access.
A coalition of press freedom groups and dozens of news organizations filed a legal brief supporting the three news outlets. They asserted that stripping journalists and news outlets of their rights because of perceived editorial viewpoint violates decades of Supreme Court jurisprudence. The brief was signed by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Reuters, The Washington Post, and Fox News, among others.
The White House had argued that access to the White House is a privilege, not an entitlement, and that the president has the authority to suspend access by news organizations. However, the judge signaled skepticism about this argument, noting that the letters explaining the revocation were sent after the lawsuit was filed. The ruling marked a significant victory for the three news outlets and a setback for the Trump administration.
Key points
- A federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump to restore White House access for journalists from CNN, MSNBC, and Politico.
- The judge ruled that Trump's ban on the three media outlets was likely unconstitutional.
- The ruling marked a significant victory for the three news outlets and a setback for the Trump administration.
