A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore White House access for CNN, Politico and MS NOW, days after the three outlets were banned from covering events at the property.
Key facts
- A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore journalists' access to the White House.
- The order applies to CNN, Politico and MS NOW.
- The three outlets were banned last week from covering White House events by President Trump.
- Lawyers for the White House and the media outlets argued over the constitutional rights of journalists at a Wednesday hearing.
A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore access to the White House for three media organizations that were banned from covering events at the property last week, according to NPR.
The order applies to CNN, Politico and MS NOW. The BBC reported that the court directed the US government to reinstate access to the building for all three outlets.
The ruling followed a hearing on Wednesday in federal court, where lawyers representing the White House and the three banned media outlets sparred over the constitutional rights of journalists, according to NPR.
The BBC characterized the ruling as a temporary overturning of President Trump’s White House media ban, meaning the outlets’ access is being restored while the underlying legal dispute continues.
NPR reported that the three organizations were banned last week from covering White House events by President Trump, prompting the legal challenge that led to Thursday’s order.
The dispute places the reach of presidential authority over press access in direct tension with journalists’ claimed constitutional protections, an issue the court weighed at Wednesday’s hearing before issuing its order.
Why it matters
Access to the White House is central to how the public learns what its government is doing, and a ban on major outlets raises questions about press freedom. The court's decision to temporarily restore access signals that a judge saw grounds to review whether the ban was lawful.
Frequently asked questions
Which media outlets were affected by the ban?
CNN, Politico and MS NOW were the three media organizations banned from covering White House events, according to NPR and the BBC.
Is the restoration of access permanent?
No. The BBC described the ruling as temporarily overturning the ban, and NPR reported the judge ordered access temporarily restored, indicating the legal dispute is still ongoing.
What was argued in court?
At a Wednesday hearing, lawyers for the White House and the three outlets sparred over the constitutional rights of journalists, according to NPR.