A federal judge on Thursday ordered the White House to restore access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, dealing a setback to President Donald Trump in an escalating dispute with several major news organizations. The ruling comes less than a week after Trump announced the three outlets would be barred from White House access.
U.S. District Judge Tim Kelly issued the order in a lawsuit filed by the news organizations challenging the administration’s decision. Kelly concluded that the organizations were likely to succeed on their argument that the ban violated constitutional protections.
The case centers on whether the White House can exclude established news organizations because of their coverage or editorial positions. Courts have previously recognized that the government has some authority to manage access to secure facilities, but that authority is constrained by First Amendment and due-process protections.
The ruling does not end the underlying lawsuit. Instead, it restores access while the legal challenge continues, meaning the court could still consider broader questions about how White House press credentials may be granted, suspended or revoked.
The dispute has become one of the administration’s most visible confrontations with the press. It also carries implications beyond the three organizations because any final ruling could shape the rules governing access for other journalists covering the executive branch.
For now, the affected journalists can return to White House coverage under the judge’s order. The administration can continue defending the policy in court and could seek additional review of the ruling as the case proceeds.
