CNN MSNOW and Politico are back at the White House after a federal judge ordered Donald Trump's administration to restore their access. The ban lasted less than a week and came after several clashes between Trump and journalists. The ruling brings the fight over presidential control of press access before the courts.
Judge Timothy Kelly of the United States District Court in Washington issued an emergency order in the early hours of Thursday, finding that the journalists had been excluded without adequate due process. He ordered the administration to lift the restriction. The order remains in force until October 8, unless the court issues another order or the measure expires. Trump announced the restriction on September 18, and journalists from the affected outlets were denied entry to the White House complex the following day, Reuters reported.
The White House did not comply immediately. Journalists were denied entry again on Thursday morning, despite the judge's ruling. Lawyers for the three media organisations then requested an immediate hearing. Kelly ordered the government to explain by 12:30 in Washington, or 16:30 in Spain, why it had failed to follow the decision. NPR reported that the administration's initial failure to carry out the order prompted the urgent legal response.
The standoff ended when the reporters returned to the building. The White House director of press operations confirmed that access had been restored to all media after receiving the court documents. Two of the previously barred journalists later said they were working normally inside the complex. Reuters also reported that the temporary suspension of the ban would last 14 days as the legal dispute continued.
CNN MSNOW and Politico filed the legal challenge after Trump's administration blocked their access. In a joint statement, the outlets said the government cannot decide what the press may report or publish. Their case relied on the First Amendment and challenged the president's attempt to decide which media organisations could work from the White House. CNN described the case as a broader fight over press freedom and presidential control of media access. Reuters and The New York Times reported that the case could affect more than the three outlets involved. The dispute concerns whether a White House may selectively restrict access because it dislikes an organisation’s coverage, rather than apply neutral rules consistently.
The exclusion followed several confrontations between Trump and members of the press. Reuters reported that the dispute grew out of clashes over the format and conduct of press events. It also prompted other major broadcasters to suspend joint audiovisual coverage of the president. Professional organisations described the move as a ban on press freedom.
Reporters from the three outlets are back at work while the emergency order remains active. Trump's administration can still seek further proceedings. For now, the judiciary has halted the immediate ban.
