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Federal Judge Timothy Kelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has ordered the White House administration to allow journalists from CNN, “MS NOW” and “Politico” into the presidential residence until litigation over restrictions on their access is resolved.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that Kelly said in his ruling that the ban imposed by President Donald Trump could violate the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and of the press.
The court document said the president’s statements when announcing the ban showed a direct link between the journalists’ constitutional rights and the revocation of their press credentials. The judge described the move as a political response to critical journalism.
The court rejected the Justice Department’s argument that the ban was based on potential national security concerns, calling it unfounded. The ruling said the case record contained no credible evidence that the administration had initially justified the measure on security grounds.
Kelly, who was appointed during Trump’s first presidency, stressed that the revoked press credentials must be reinstated.
Defending the restrictions announced on Sept. 18, Trump said he considered the outlets’ coverage “biased” and “one-sided.” In court filings, the Justice Department cited reports on developments involving Iran and other strategic issues in an effort to link the ban to national interests.
At hearings, Kelly called it unusual for government lawyers to present arguments that conflicted with the reasons given in the initial decision. Justice Department lawyer Michael Velchik argued that accreditation was directly within the president’s authority, while the media outlets’ lawyer, Ted Boutrous, said the decision was entirely subjective and arbitrary.
Kelly’s ruling came after an earlier firm warning temporarily suspending the White House restrictions had expired. The decision gives the Trump administration the right to appeal to a higher court.
