Trump's White House Media Ban Blocked By US Judge: What It Means For CNN, MS NOW, Politico

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A US federal judge has ordered the Donald Trump administration to restore White House access to journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, ruling that the ban was likely unconstitutional, Reuters reported.

US District Judge Timothy Kelly issued the order in a lawsuit filed by the three news organisations challenging the administration's decision to bar them from White House access.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump had accused the three organisations of repeatedly publishing what he described as“FICTION and LIES”.

The US Department of Justice had argued that the administration's decision was justified on national-security grounds, CNBC reported.

According to CNBC, DOJ lawyers told the court that“access to the White House is a privilege - not a right”. The department also said Trump had determined that the outlets had reported classified or sensitive national security information.

Also Read | Trump says CNN, MS NOW, Politico could return to WH if court rules against ban What did CNN, MS NOW and Politico argue?

The three organisations filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington, DC, arguing that the restrictions amounted to unlawful retaliation for constitutionally protected speech, Reuters reported.

They also accused the administration of violating their due-process rights.

“This ban could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment nor a more blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles,” the organisations said, as per the statement cited by Reuters.

White House says access is not a right

The White House has maintained that the affected organisations can continue to cover the administration without direct access to the Oval Office or other White House spaces.

It argued that journalists from the outlets could report from outside the White House and said they should not be able to demand access to the president's office.

Also Read | Can Trump legally ban media outlets from White House? What DOJ says

“The Fake News has no place demanding a spot in the President's Oval Office,” the White House said in a statement, accusing the outlets of spreading what it called lies and saying their reporting harmed the American public.

What happens next?

Judge Timothy Kelly, who was appointed by Trump, is overseeing the case and has ordered the restoration of access as the legal challenge proceeds.

The court proceedings will now hinge between the administration's national-security justification for the restrictions and the media organisations' First Amendment claims.

In his decision, Judge Kelly, a Trump appointee, emphasised that the administration violated the reporters' due process rights.

Citing past case law, he ruled that the government cannot revoke a journalist's hard pass without advance notice of an infraction and a fair opportunity to be heard, as per Reuters.

Kelly ordered the administration to“immediately” restore access, but it remains to be seen how the White House will react.

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