Judge extends order blocking Trump from banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters from White House

A federal judge, Timothy Kelly, has issued a preliminary injunction extending an order that blocks the Trump administration from banning reporters from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House. The ruling preserves the status quo, allowing the outlets to maintain their 'hard pass' press credentials while a lawsuit regarding the administration's September 18 ban proceeds. Judge Kelly, a Trump appointee, found that the administration likely violated the reporters' First Amendment rights against viewpoint discrimination and their Fifth Amendment rights to due process by providing no prior notice of the revocation. While the judge acknowledged the government's right to protect national security, he ruled that the administration's national security justifications appeared to be 'post-hoc' and unsupported by evidence, especially given the President's public comments linking the ban to 'Fake News' and negative coverage.

A federal judge, Timothy Kelly, has issued a preliminary injunction extending an order that blocks the Trump administration from banning reporters from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House. The ruling preserves the status quo, allowing the outlets to maintain their 'hard pass' press credentials while a lawsuit regarding the administration's September 18 ban proceeds. Judge Kelly, a Trump appointee, found that the administration likely violated the reporters' First Amendment rights against viewpoint discrimination and their Fifth Amendment rights to due process by providing no prior notice of the revocation. While the judge acknowledged the government's right to protect national security, he ruled that the administration's national security justifications appeared to be 'post-hoc' and unsupported by evidence, especially given the President's public comments linking the ban to 'Fake News' and negative coverage.