Judge Rules Against Trump’s Ban on News Outlets

A federal judge determined that President Trump cannot prevent specific news organizations from accessing the White House due to unfavorable coverage. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Kelly ruled that Trump’s decision breached the First Amendment and due process rights of journalists. The case arose when more than 70 journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico were denied entry.

Judge Kelly emphasized that Trump’s actions aimed to sway media coverage by revoking press credentials. In his opinion, this action constituted retaliation against media outlets for their reporting. He indicated that such a ban impedes journalists’ ability to cover White House activities firsthand.

President Trump’s own comments suggest that he intended the revocation of Plaintiffs’ hard passes to alter their reporting on him, bolstering the case that his action here is sufficient to deter a reporter of ordinary firmness from reporting in the same way she had before, Kelly wrote.

The three news organizations sued after their exclusion, leading to a temporary restraining order issued by Kelly. First Amendment attorney Theodore J. Boutrous, representing these outlets, argued that Trump’s public admissions supported their case. Boutrous described the ban as a violation of fundamental rights.

Despite the ruling, the White House did not respond to requests for comment, and President Trump remained silent on the matter. The U.S. Justice Department’s national security arguments were dismissed by the judge. Kelly argued that standard procedures for warning and resolving these matters were ignored.

Kelly stated that once journalists are credentialed, their access should not be revoked due to disfavor of their reporting. The White House’s justifications surfaced only after the actions were taken, which the judge found insufficient. Kelly criticized the administration’s warning process to the journalists as inadequate.

While the ruling addressed the broader ban, it did not touch on the administration’s selective exclusion of CNN from some press events. Notably, CNN was barred from Air Force One, impacting its role in the video pool consortium.

The legal challenge follows broader tensions between the press and the administration. The government has scrutinized media outlets, with moves to mute unfavorable coverage and limit reporter access, intensifying the conflict.