A US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore White House access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico after the three news organisations challenged President Donald Trump’s decision to bar them from the premises.
US District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order on Thursday, directing the administration to immediately return and reinstate the press credentials of the affected journalists. The order blocks enforcement of the ban for 14 days while the legal dispute continues.
The three organisations had filed a lawsuit after Trump announced on September 18 that they would no longer be allowed to access the White House. They argued that the decision violated constitutional protections for freedom of the press and denied them access without proper legal process.
The administration defended the decision in court, arguing that access to the White House was a privilege rather than a right and that the president could control reporters’ access to restricted areas of the presidential complex.
The Justice Department also sought to justify the restrictions on national security grounds, while the White House accused the three organisations of publishing what it described as false or sensitive information.
Theodore Boutrous, who represented the media organisations, argued that Trump’s initial announcement did not cite national security as the reason for the ban.
“All of a sudden this is a national security case,” Boutrous told the court.
He also argued that allowing the government to punish journalists for reporting information that officials would rather not have published would conflict with First Amendment protections.
The dispute followed Trump’s decision to remove the press credentials of journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico. The reporters were subsequently denied entry to the White House grounds and had their passes confiscated.
The legal battle also prompted other major US television networks to take action. ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC joined CNN in suspending participation in the White House television press pool, which normally provides pooled coverage that is shared among broadcasters.
The networks said the public had an important interest in receiving accurate and independent information about the government and argued that news organisations should not have their access restricted because of their reporting.
The White House separately launched a 24-hour streaming service called “Trump TV,” featuring speeches, videos and other material from the administration. The move came amid the wider dispute over media access.
Trump has repeatedly criticised news organisations whose coverage he considers unfavourable, including during his current administration. The latest dispute has therefore become a broader legal and political fight over access to the White House and the limits of presidential authority over journalists.
Judge Kelly’s ruling means the three organisations are to have their access restored while the case proceeds. The White House later said it had reinstated the journalists’ access, although reports indicated that some reporters were initially still denied entry after the court order.
Source: AFP
