A US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore White House access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists after finding the media ban likely unconstitutional.
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A US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to immediately restore White House press access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico. According to Reuters, Judge Tim Kelly also blocked officials from enforcing the media ban for 14 days.
This media ban was imposed on CNN, MS NOW and Politico when Donald Trump issued a ban against these organisations on September 18. Trump said that these organisations did not deserve to report what he called “FICTION and LIES.”
According to Judge Kelly, the ban was likely unconstitutional as it raised issues related to the First Amendment and due process.
Judge Kelly said, “The record lacks factual support for defendants’ contention that the revocation of plaintiffs’ hard passes will in fact protect national security or that national security will be endangered if the court orders their passes reinstated while this litigation proceeds.”
The Justice Department claimed that White House access was a privilege and not a right. Furthermore, the president had the authority to bar media organisations from accessing the White House.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a lawsuit against the decision and stated that the ban was a violation of their First Amendment rights and due process.
Moreover, Kelly raised doubts about whether the administration provided the affected organisations with any real opportunity to contest the decision to revoke their press credentials. The letters explaining the reasons for the ban were issued after press access had been withdrawn and after the lawsuit was filed.
The controversy has also impacted the White House television press pool. Some prominent television networks have withdrawn from press pool coverage as a show of solidarity with the affected media organisations.
A press freedom organisation and many other news organisations filed an amicus brief in support of the media organisations. Reuters was one of the news organisations that supported the filing.
Judge Kelly, who was appointed by President Trump during his first term, previously ordered the White House to reinstate the press credentials of CNN journalist Jim Acosta, who had his credentials revoked following a confrontation with Trump.
The current order will restore access while the legal case proceeds. Business Honor observes that the White House News dispute over media access has moved into federal court, with the latest order temporarily restoring access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists.
FAQs
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Why did the judge block the White House media ban?
Judge Tim Kelly ruled that the ban was likely unconstitutional and raised concerns involving First Amendment protections and due process.
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Which media organisations were affected by the ban?
CNN, MS NOW and Politico were affected by the White House media ban announced by President Donald Trump on September 18.
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What did the Justice Department argue?
The Justice Department argued that access to the White House is a privilege rather than a right and that the president has authority to restrict media access.
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What did CNN, MS NOW and Politico argue in their lawsuit?
The three organisations argued that the ban violated their First Amendment rights and due process protections.
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What did Judge Kelly order?
Judge Kelly ordered the Trump administration to restore White House press access and blocked officials from enforcing the ban for 14 days.
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