Judge extends White House access for US media outlets amid Trump standoff
CNN, MS Now and Politico can continue to access White House as judge maintains Trump's ban likely illegal.
Key points
- Judge Timothy Kelly extended White House access for CNN, MS Now and Politico.
- Kelly said Trump likely violated the First Amendment by discriminating over viewpoints.
- The order lasts until a final ruling or an appeals court intervenes.
A federal judge has extended White House access for several media organisations that US President Donald Trump had sought to ban. US District Judge Timothy Kelly said Trump likely broke the law by barring journalists from CNN, MS Now and Politico from White House briefings.
The decision, published late Tuesday, expands on an emergency order Kelly issued on September 24 that temporarily reinstated the organisations' access. It said Trump likely discriminated against the news organisations based on their viewpoints, violating the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
What the judge said
Kelly wrote that Trump's announcement of the ban and later remarks explaining it made the conclusion straightforward, saying the president likely banned the plaintiffs because he believes their reporting is generally inaccurate and biased against him. When announcing the ban, Trump said the organisations should not be able to constantly write or report fiction and lies while covering the president.
The Department of Justice later said the reporters' White House passes were revoked on national security grounds. Kelly wrote there was no evidence in the record that Trump made the decision on those grounds from the start, and that he never directly stated national security was the reason.
Trump must not be allowed to trample on fundamental First Amendment protections by handpicking his press corps or turning pool duties into a reward for favorable coverage.
— Caitlin Vogus
What happens next
The latest order stands until Kelly, who was appointed by Trump during his first term, makes a final determination in the case or until an appeals court steps in. Trump has long criticised legacy media, previously sought to restrict access to certain organisations, attacked reporters in person and on social media, and filed lawsuits against media companies.
At an October 8 hearing, Theodore Boutrous, a lawyer for the three banned organisations, said Trump was seeking to coerce better coverage. The Freedom of the Press Foundation welcomed the ruling, but senior adviser for advocacy Caitlin Vogus said the fight is far from over and that the administration is expected to appeal.
