A federal judge on Thursday ordered US President Donald Trump to restore White House access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, ruling that his ban on the three outlets was likely unconstitutional, in a significant setback for the president in his running battle with the media.
US District Judge Tim Kelly issued the order in a lawsuit filed by the news organisations challenging the ban, which Trump had announced on 18 September.
Kelly directed the administration to immediately return the outlets' press passes and barred officials from enforcing the ban for 14 days, rejecting the government's argument that the move was justified on national security grounds.
"The record lacks factual support for defendants' contention that the revocation of plaintiffs' hard passes will in fact protect national security or that national security will be endangered if the court orders their passes reinstated while this litigation proceeds," Kelly said as reported by Reuters, noting that Trump himself had attributed the ban to the outlets' "alleged lack of truthfulness and negativity".
Trump had said on social media that the three outlets "shouldn't be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES," while Justice Department lawyers sought to justify the ban on national security grounds.
The outlets sued Trump and other administration officials on Monday, arguing the ban violated their First Amendment free speech and free press protections as well as their due process rights.
ALSO READ: Trump Media Ban Takes Effect As CNN, MS NOW Journalists Denied White House Access
Kelly said at a Wednesday hearing that precedents from the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit made clear journalists were entitled to due process before their passes could be revoked, and that the White House did not appear to have given the outlets a meaningful chance to contest the decision.
A lawyer for the news organisations said they had been banned without legally required advance notice, calling the punishment unprecedented and severe.
A Justice Department lawyer argued the administration had adequately explained the revocations in letters sent on Tuesday, though Kelly noted those letters were sent only after the passes were revoked and the lawsuit filed.
A coalition of press freedom groups and news organisations, including the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Reuters, the Washington Post and Fox News, filed a brief on Wednesday backing the three outlets.
The legal fight comes weeks before the 3 November midterm elections, with Trump's approval ratings at record lows amid concerns over the Iran war and inflation.
ALSO READ: Trump Threatens To Ban CNN, MS NOW, Politico From White House Over Coverage
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.