Federal judge orders Trump to restore White House press passes for CNN, MS NOW and Politico

U.S. District Judge Tim Kelly issued an order on Thursday requiring the White House to restore press passes for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, finding the president's ban likely unconstitutional. The judge blocked the administration from enforcing the ban for 14 days and directed the immediate return of the credentials.

Kelly said the record lacks factual support for the administration’s claim that revoking the passes would protect national security, noting that President Trump had framed the ban as a response to the outlets’ "alleged lack of truthfulness and negativity" in reporting. > "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 judge wrote.

The three media organizations sued, alleging violations of the First Amendment and due-process rights, and sought a temporary restraining order to regain White House access while the case proceeds. The Justice Department argued that White House access is a privilege that the president may suspend, but the judge highlighted precedents requiring due process before revoking press credentials.

Press-freedom groups and dozens of news outlets filed an amicus brief supporting the plaintiffs, asserting that stripping journalists of access based on editorial viewpoint conflicts with longstanding Supreme Court jurisprudence. The White House and the media companies did not immediately comment on the ruling.