Judge Timothy Kelly ordered on Thursday that President Donald Trump must immediately restore access for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico journalists to the White House. This order was issued after Trump announced a media ban last week.
Judge's Temporary Ruling
In the District Court for Columbia, Judge Kelly issued a 14-day temporary ruling against this ban, stating that the action "likely violated the legal rights of the media." This ruling was in response to a lawsuit from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, which claimed that the ban was a "direct attack" on the First Amendment and a violation of their legal rights under the Fifth Amendment.
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Legal Consequences and Media Support
This ruling is seen as a significant defeat for Trump, as the judge ordered that journalists from the banned media must regain their access to the White House "until further court order or the end of this temporary ruling." Ted Boutros, the attorney representing these media outlets, stated: "This strong ruling reaffirms press freedom, legal rights, and the rule of law. We appreciate the court's swift action."
The court also noted that the media has a "likelihood of success" in demonstrating that their press credentials were revoked without proper legal process. Judge Kelly also rejected the Trump administration's claim that the media ban was due to national security concerns, stating: "This is exactly not what President Trump said when announcing the media ban."
Following this ban, solidarity and conflict among other media outlets have increased. For example, some publications, including The New York Times and The Washington Post, announced that they would refrain from publishing or distributing photographs taken as part of their White House coverage.
Ultimately, Trump indicated that he would respond to any legal challenges against this ban, stating: "We will almost certainly seek an appeal." However, Judge Kelly has stated that "temporary rulings are generally not appealable." During these 14 days, the court will set a schedule for a swift hearing on the request for an initial ruling.
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