Trump’s bid to keep CNN, Politico, and MS NOW out of the White House has hit a snag

• A judge ordered the White House to restore the credentials of CNN, Politico, and MS NOW reporters.
• The ruling temporarily blocks Trump’s bid to bar the outlets from White House access.
• The outlets say the ban violates the First Amendment and due process protections.

“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,” he wrote in his ruling.

President Donald Trump announced the ban last week, accusing the outlets of publishing false reporting.

CNN, Politico, and MS NOW sued soon afterward, alleging the move violated their First Amendment rights and Fifth Amendment due process protections.

The administration argued the ban was justified by national security concerns, saying the outlets had published reporting involving classified or sensitive information.

Kelly ruled that the government had not provided enough evidence to support that argument at this stage of the case.

“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,” he wrote.

Kelly added that he was bound by a long-standing precedent holding that White House correspondents have a protected liberty interest in their White House press credentials.

He found the administration revoked the reporters’ hard passes without providing notice and an opportunity to be heard.

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