Media outlets banned by Trump must have access restored, judge says

A judge has temporarily blocked President Trump's ban on three media outlets and said their access must be restored.

Journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were banned from reporting from the White House grounds last week.

Mr Trump said ⁠they "shouldn't ​be able to constantly ​write or report FICTION ⁠and LIES" and claimed it was a national security issue.

The three outlets filed a lawsuit and argued the ban was a "blatant violation" of their First Amendment right to press freedom.

"Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists' credentials because it objected to our reporting," the publications said.

In solidarity, other networks said they wouldn't provide TV pictures of the president's trip to the UN in New York.

District judge Timothy Kelly has now issued a restraining order reversing the ban for 14 days to allow more time to examine the case.

He questioned whether the administration had met its legal responsibilities and allowed the media outlets due process before banning them.

Politico, however, said one of its reporters was denied access to the White House on Thursday ahead of Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and had his press credentials confiscated following the temporary ruling

The judge didn't give a definitive ruling but said he would be guided by comparable First Amendment cases.

Two previous cases, including one that went to the Supreme Court, made it clear journalists had the right to have their case heard before their press pass was revoked.

Justice Department attorney Michael Velchik argued those rulings were wrong.

"Access to the White House is a privilege, not a right," he told the court.

But lawyer for the media companies, Theodore Boutrous Jr, said the ban had already caused irreparable harm as they hadn't been able to properly cover major events.

"We're at war. We have world leaders coming to Washington," he said.

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President Trump had sought to defend the ban, posting on Monday: "The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish. It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS."

He called them "corrupt" and a "threat to our National Security".

Reporters from the three outlets - Betsy Klein of CNN, Akayla Gardner of MS NOW, and Politico's Cheyenne Haslett - said on Saturday they had been blocked from the White House and had their passes deactivated or taken away.

Media and press organisations have been unanimous in criticising the president's ban.

President of the White House Correspondents' Association, Jacqui Heinrich, said it meant Mr Trump could in future exclude other outlets if he objected to their reporting.

"The American people, through a free and independent press, must be able to scrutinise those elected to power, regardless of whether government officials view it favourably," she said.

(c) Sky News 2026: Media outlets banned by Trump must have access restored, judge says