WASHINGTON, D.C. — A US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to reinstate White House access for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, ruling that the ban likely violated their First Amendment rights and caused irreparable harm to the news organisations.
The ruling, issued on Wednesday by Judge Rudolph Contreras of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, granted a preliminary injunction sought by the three news outlets, which had challenged the ban imposed by the White House earlier this month. The ban prevented their reporters from accessing the White House press briefing room, the Oval Office, and other areas normally open to accredited journalists.
In his ruling, Judge Contreras said the news organisations had demonstrated a strong likelihood of success on the merits of their claim that the ban was an unconstitutional restriction on press freedom. He said the White House had failed to provide any legitimate justification for singling out the three outlets for exclusion.
“The plaintiffs have shown that the ban is likely a content-based restriction on speech that violates the First Amendment. The defendants have not demonstrated that the ban is narrowly tailored to serve a compelling government interest,” Contreras wrote.
The judge rejected the administration’s argument that access to the White House is a privilege rather than a right, noting that while there is no absolute right to access, the government cannot selectively exclude journalists based on their viewpoints or reporting.
“The First Amendment does not permit the government to use its control over access to the White House as a weapon to punish or silence news organisations whose reporting it dislikes,” Contreras stated.
The ban was imposed after the three outlets published stories that the administration deemed unfair or inaccurate, including reports on the President’s health, his business dealings, and his administration’s immigration policies. The White House had accused the outlets of spreading “fake news” and of failing to meet the standards of responsible journalism.
In response to the ruling, the White House said it would appeal the decision, describing it as “an overreach by a judicial activist.” Press Secretary Davis Ingle said the administration would continue to “protect the integrity of the White House press corps” and would not allow “biased outlets to spread misinformation.”
But the news organisations welcomed the ruling, describing it as a victory for press freedom. CNN’s chief legal correspondent said the decision reaffirmed the principle that the government cannot pick and choose which journalists are allowed to cover it.
“This is a win for the First Amendment and for the American people’s right to know. The White House cannot silence the press simply because it does not like what is being reported,” the correspondent said.
The ruling is the latest in a series of legal battles between the Trump administration and the news media. Since taking office, President Trump has repeatedly attacked the press, calling journalists the “enemy of the people” and threatening to revoke the credentials of outlets that report unfavourably on him. His administration has also taken steps to limit press access, including reducing the number of reporters allowed in the briefing room and ending the traditional daily press briefing.
Press freedom advocates have expressed concern about the growing threats to journalism in the United States, noting that the White House ban was part of a broader pattern of hostility toward the media. The Committee to Protect Journalists said the ruling was a “welcome rebuke” to the administration’s attempts to weaponise press access.
“The White House cannot use its power to punish journalists for doing their jobs. Today’s ruling is a reminder that the First Amendment applies to everyone, including the President of the United States,” the organisation said.
The case is expected to continue in the coming weeks, with the administration’s appeal likely to be heard by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. For now, however, CNN, MS NOW, and Politico have regained their access to the White House, and their reporters are back on the job.
