USA · updated 2h ago · 3 min read
Timothy Kelly Orders Trump Administration To Restore CNN, MS NOW, Politico Access For 14 Days
Judge Timothy Kelly ordered immediate restoration of White House press credentials for CNN, MS NOW, Politico. White House initially blocked or delayed access despite the court order, causing a standoff.
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Judge orders access restored
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico, reinstating their hard-pass press credentials for 14 days while their legal challenge proceeded.
White House press operations director Micah Stopperich told the court that her team was told shortly after 7 a.m. to restore access “to affected reporters by turning on their hard badges,” and the Secret Service indicated shortly after 9 a.m. that the journalists’ passes were “back on.”
CNN reporter Betsy Klein of CNN and Laura Barrón-López of MS NOW began reporting live on the air after they were allowed onto the White House grounds Thursday afternoon, and Politico reported that one of its reporters was granted access too.
The dispute began after President Donald Trump banned the three outlets, and Kelly wrote in his temporary restraining order that the directive was most likely unconstitutional.
Kelly also rejected the White House’s national security argument, writing that the administration offered little proof and that Trump’s announcement focused on the alleged lack of truthfulness and negativity of Plaintiffs’ reporting.
Earlier delays, later entry
Reporters from the banned outlets were still prohibited from entering the White House on Thursday morning even after Kelly’s order, and Kelly ordered the administration to respond in writing by 12:30 p.m. after journalists from the three outlets were turned away.
Ted Boutrous told the court that the government had “already repeatedly” violated the temporary restraining order, and he asked for an emergency hearing by videoconference or teleconference as soon as possible.
Around noon Thursday, CNN reporter Betsy Klein walked through a White House gate after her hard pass was given back to her, and MSNOW correspondent Laura Barrón-López was also back on the campus Thursday afternoon.
Kelly expressed skepticism about the White House’s national security justification, saying “Nothing in the record that predates this suit suggests that the revocation of Plaintiffs’ hard passes was motivated by national security concerns,” and he noted Trump did not mention national security when he announced the ban.
The White House later confirmed access had been restored, and the Secret Service indicated the passes were available for pick up at the press gate around 9:45 a.m. ET, even as the delay triggered accusations of noncompliance.
Press freedom and due process
Trump described his directive as “the ban on the free press” and said, “I don’t want them in my office. I don’t want them here,” while he said the policy was a response to “cumulative stories over the last few years.”
Kelly wrote that Trump did not dispute the outlets “did not receive notice and an opportunity to be heard before their hard passes were revoked,” and Kelly said the directive likely violated due process.
The outlets’ attorney Theodore Boutrous Jr. said in an emailed statement, “This is a strong ruling vindicating freedom of the press, due process and the rule of law. We greatly appreciate the court’s swift action.”
Justice Department attorney Michael Velchik argued that “Access to the White House is a privilege, not a right,” and he reiterated that the president has the right to choose who gets into the White House.
The temporary restraining order expires in two weeks, and Kelly set a schedule for further arguments over whether he should issue a longer-lasting ruling called a preliminary injunction, with both sides given until Oct. 5 to file their arguments.