Judge Rules Against Trump’s Ban on News Organizations

A federal judge ruled that President Trump cannot exclude news organizations from the White House due to unfavorable coverage. This decision will remain in effect until a formal trial takes place. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Kelly determined that Trump’s move to bar over 70 journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico infringed on their free speech and due process rights, both protected by the U.S. Constitution.

The news organizations initiated a lawsuit last month after the Trump administration blocked their access. A temporary restraining order was granted on September 24 to the affected journalists. Kelly noted that Trump’s own public statements and social media posts indicated his actions were aimed at altering the news coverage rather than addressing national security issues.

“President Trump’s own comments suggest that he intended the revocation of Plaintiffs’ hard passes to alter their reporting on him.” – Judge Timothy J. Kelly

Theodore J. Boutrous, representing the news outlets, argued that Trump’s open dislike of their coverage was a key component of their case. After the ruling, Boutrous stated that Trump’s actions violated the First Amendment and due process.

The White House didn’t immediately respond to NPR’s request for comment regarding the ruling. Trump, known for criticizing coverage of him, had his administration claim national security concerns, but Kelly dismissed these arguments.

Kelly, during Trump’s first term, ruled against attempts to bar then CNN correspondent Jim Acosta. In this case, Kelly highlighted other precedents rejecting the Trump administration’s action. He stated that the government’s actions, based on Trump’s opinions, resulted in significant harm.

The ruling did not address CNN’s exclusion from smaller spaces like Air Force One or the Oval Office despite CNN being part of the video pool. The administration occasionally prevented CNN from fulfilling its role as a pool representative.

News organizations sued after losing White House credentials. The administration has pursued efforts against the press, such as reviewing ABC’s broadcasting licenses and pressuring public media funding. The Justice Department has accused major networks of antitrust law violations after the president’s ban on CNN.

Legal actions by Trump as a private citizen include lawsuits against various news outlets. Settlements have occurred with networks like ABC and CBS under different circumstances related to broadcast regulations.