A federal judge early Thursday temporarily halted President Donald Trump’s decision to bar three news organizations from the White House grounds, ordering that CNN, MS NOW and Politico regain their previous access.
The ruling marks the latest development in an increasingly contentious dispute between Trump and media organizations over coverage of his administration.
Trump announced the restrictions on Sept. 18, criticizing the three outlets as “fake news.” In subsequent remarks, the president argued that unfavorable media coverage posed a danger to the country.
The affected news organizations challenged the administration’s decision in court, maintaining that they had been targeted because of the viewpoints expressed in their reporting.
They characterized the restrictions as a “blatant violation” of the First Amendment and argued that the government had engaged in viewpoint discrimination.
U.S. District Judge, Timothy Kelly, considered arguments from both sides during a hearing Wednesday but concluded the proceedings without immediately issuing a decision.
Kelly was nominated to the federal bench by Trump in 2017 and previously ordered the restoration of a CNN journalist’s White House access in a comparable dispute in 2018.
The judge issued a temporary restraining order Thursday, requiring the outlets’ access to be restored for 14 days. Such orders are generally intended to maintain existing conditions while a court conducts a more detailed examination of the underlying legal dispute.
