Judge orders White House to restore access for 3 news outlets

A federal judge on Thursday ordered the White House to immediately restore access for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, temporarily blocking President Donald Trump's ban on the three news organizations.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled that the outlets had met the legal standards to obtain a temporary restraining order, likely to succeed in showing their press credentials were revoked without due process. The order, effective for 14 days, is a reprieve in the ongoing dispute between the Trump administration and media outlets whose coverage it dislikes.

Trump initially announced the ban, calling the coverage "fake news," but the administration later argued the reporting posed a national security risk. The news organizations sued, contending the ban violated the First Amendment by singling them out for their reporting. Judge Kelly found no evidence that the reporting endangered national security and questioned the administration's vague standards for revoking press passes.

During the hearing, administration lawyers argued that access to the White House is a privilege, not a right, and that the president has discretion over who gains entry. Attorneys for the outlets called the ruling a victory for freedom of the press and due process. The ruling did not address the broader White House press pool, coverage of which several major networks had suspended in solidarity with the banned outlets.