CNN, Politico and MS NOW Regain Access After Lawyers Say Court Order Was 'Repeatedly Violated'

Journalists from CNN, Politico and MS NOW were allowed back into the White House on Thursday after being turned away earlier in the day, despite a federal judge ordering their access restored. The three outlets had filed an emergency request after their reporters were denied entry, saying the administration had 'repeatedly violated' the order.

US District Judge Timothy Kelly, whom Trump nominated in 2017, issued a 14-day temporary restraining order shortly after midnight, directing senior administration officials to immediately restore the journalists' hard-pass credentials.

By Thursday morning, however, reporters from the three outlets said they were still being blocked, with some having their passes confiscated. The dispute unfolded as Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House ahead of a state dinner.

What the Outlets Told the Court

The emergency request states that 'A Secret Service agent confiscated the hard pass of journalists from all three organizations.' It adds that CNN's Betsy Klein, whose pass was taken after the ban was implemented, asked for it back and was refused access to the White House complex.

MS NOW said its White House reporter Laura Barrón-López and a producer were stopped and had their passes taken, while a second producer got through. Politico said one of its reporters was denied entry and had his credentials confiscated.

Kelly gave the Justice Department until 12.30pm Eastern Time to explain why his order had not been followed. The White House had not immediately explained the Thursday morning refusals, leaving the reason for the initial denial of access unclear. The reporters were subsequently allowed back into the White House.

Judge Questioned the National Security Defence

Trump's original justification for the ban centred on what he called 'fake news'. National security concerns were raised later by the administration as part of its defence of the restrictions.

Kelly questioned that explanation at this stage. 'Nothing in the record ... suggests that the revocation of Plaintiffs' hard passes was motivated by national security concerns,' he wrote in his ruling. He also said the standard of objectionable reporting set out in the White House letters was 'so vague it hardly does the trick.'

The Same Judge Who Restored Jim Acosta's Pass

This is not Kelly's first dispute with Trump's White House over press credentials. In November 2018, he ordered the first Trump administration to temporarily restore the hard pass of then-CNN correspondent Jim Acosta after a contentious news conference.

The White House subsequently restored Acosta's pass, and CNN later dropped its lawsuit.

The temporary order runs for 14 days while the court considers further arguments and evidence. The case could have implications for how future administrations regulate journalists' access to the White House over their reporting.

The wider industry has also responded. More than 50 media organisations have reportedly supported the outlets' lawsuit through an amicus brief, including major news organisations. Other television networks also declined to replace CNN in the White House press pool after it was removed.

Previous administrations have also faced disputes over media access, including a 2009 row involving the Obama administration, Fox News and a Treasury Department interview.

The Treasury Department initially excluded Fox News from an interview with pay czar Kenneth Feinberg, while Fox News disputed the circumstances and said it had requested the interview. The administration later allowed Fox News to participate.