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A US federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico, ordering the White House to immediately restore the media organisations’ access and press credentials.
US District Judge Timothy J Kelly issued a 14-day temporary restraining order on Thursday while the three outlets’ legal challenge to the ban proceeds.
The judge said the organisations were likely to succeed in arguing that their White House press passes had been revoked without adequate due process. He also found insufficient evidence to support the administration’s claim that the restrictions were necessary to protect national security.
Trump’s administration had barred journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House last week and confiscated their press credentials.
Trump had accused the outlets of publishing what he described as false or unfair coverage. The Justice Department later argued that their reporting posed national security concerns.
The three media organisations filed a lawsuit on September 21, arguing that the ban violated the First Amendment protections for freedom of speech and the press, as well as their due-process rights.
The dispute also disrupted the White House television press pool, prompting several major networks to suspend their participation in pooled coverage in solidarity with the banned outlets.
The latest court order is not a final ruling on the case. The 14-day order is intended to restore access while the broader legal challenge continues.
