US judge orders Trump to restore White House press access for CNN, MSNBC, Politico

Judge Orders Temporary Reinstatement of Media Access

In a legal setback for U.S. President Donald Trump, a federal judge on Thursday ordered the temporary reinstatement of White House access for three media organizations that had been barred from covering events at the executive mansion. However, as of Thursday morning local time, the journalists had not yet been readmitted.

Judge Timothy Kelly issued a 14-day temporary restraining order in favor of CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, requiring that their journalists be permitted to re-enter the White House for the time being. The administration had revoked their press credentials on Saturday at the president's direction.

Legal Challenge and Arguments

The three media outlets filed a joint lawsuit on Monday against Trump and other administration officials, arguing that the revocation of their credentials violated their constitutional rights.

President Trump stated that his decision to exclude the outlets was not based on any single report but rather on what he described as "two years of unfair and negative coverage." He accused the organizations of repeatedly spreading "fake news" about him and his administration.

During a court hearing on Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice defended the media ban, arguing that the outlets' reporting had jeopardized national security.

Judge Skeptical of National Security Claims

Judge Kelly expressed skepticism toward the administration's justification. "Nothing in the record... suggests that the revocation of plaintiffs' permanent access credentials was motivated by national security concerns," he wrote. The judge further noted that the defendants had provided no evidence to support their claim.

Reactions from Both Sides

Theodore Boutrous Jr., attorney for the media organizations, called the ruling "a strong decision that reaffirms press freedom, due process, and the rule of law." He praised the court's swift action in a statement to the Associated Press.

During the hearing, Boutrous argued that the ban had caused irreparable harm to the outlets during a period of significant events. "We are at war. We have world leaders coming to Washington," he said, referencing the Iran conflict and the arrival of Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington on Wednesday.

Michael Velchik, the Justice Department attorney, maintained the administration's position that the president has the authority to decide who enters the White House. "Access to the White House is a privilege, not a right," Velchik said.

Continued Exclusion and Media Solidarity

As of early Thursday morning local time, the affected outlets were still being denied access to the White House. The Trump administration had not commented on the ruling by press time.

The exclusion of CNN, MS NOW, and Politico prompted solidarity actions from other media organizations. The joint press pool of U.S. broadcasters—comprising the five major networks, including CNN and Fox News—suspended its coverage of Trump events conducted in pool format.

This is not the first instance of the Trump administration targeting press freedom, and many experts anticipate it will not be the last.

No International Election Observers for Midterms

In a separate development, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) announced on Wednesday that its election observers had not been invited to monitor the upcoming U.S. congressional elections in November.

"These are the first U.S. federal elections since the start of OSCE observation activities in the country for which the OSCE has not received an invitation," the organization stated. The decision "is not in line with the commitments all OSCE participating states have entered into," it added. The United States is a member of the OSCE.

Pere Joan Pons, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, expressed regret: "After more than two decades in which the United States has welcomed OSCE observers for its federal elections, this decision represents a clear departure from an established democratic practice... I deeply regret this decision."

The move is seen as another attempt by the Trump administration to undermine public and democratic institutions.