US Judge Orders Trump Administration to Restore White House Access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico

A federal judge in the United States has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from barring CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, ordering the immediate restoration of their press credentials.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a 14-day temporary restraining order early Thursday, September 24, while the three media organisations' legal challenge to the White House ban proceeds.

Kelly said the outlets had demonstrated a likelihood of succeeding on their claim that the administration violated their Fifth Amendment right to due process when their White House press credentials were revoked.

The ruling followed a lawsuit filed by CNN, MS NOW and Politico after the Trump administration barred their journalists from the White House.

President Donald Trump announced the ban on September 18, accusing the three organisations of repeatedly publishing what he described as “fiction and lies.” The outlets argued that the decision was unconstitutional retaliation for their reporting and violated their First and Fifth Amendment rights.

Kelly ordered the administration to “return, reinstate, and restore” the affected journalists' access for 14 days while the legal proceedings continue.

The judge also addressed the administration's argument that national security concerns justified the revocation of the press credentials. He found that the government had provided insufficient evidence to support that justification, noting that the record before the court did not show that national security concerns had motivated the original decision to revoke the outlets' access.

The administration has maintained that access to the White House is a privilege rather than an unconditional right and has defended its authority to determine which journalists receive access.

The media organisations, however, argued that the government could not revoke established press credentials without adequate notice and an opportunity for the affected journalists to challenge the decision.

The dispute also raised questions about whether the administration's decision was influenced by disagreement with the outlets' reporting. Kelly's ruling specifically found that the plaintiffs had shown a likelihood of success on their procedural due-process claim, while the broader First Amendment claims remain part of the ongoing case.

There was further tension after the ruling on Thursday. Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico who attempted to return to the White House were initially denied entry, with some journalists having their credentials seized by security officials.

The three organisations subsequently sought an emergency hearing, arguing that the administration was not complying with Kelly's order. The journalists were later permitted to enter the White House grounds.

The case remains ongoing, with the temporary order currently providing access for 14 days while the court considers the media organisations' request for longer-term relief.