US Judge orders Trump to restore CNN, MS NOW, Politico White House access

A US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to immediately restore White House access for reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico after the news organisations were barred from the premises.

President Donald Trump had excluded the three outlets from the White House on Friday, accusing them of publishing what he described as “fake news” and “fiction and lies.”

Following the ban, CNN, MS NOW and Politico jointly filed a lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order to challenge the decision.

The media organisations argued that the restriction violated the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which protects freedom of the press.

The judge’s ruling requires the administration to reinstate access for the affected reporters while the legal dispute over the ban continues.

Judge Timothy Kelly found that the revocation of press passes “likely violated their constitutional due process rights,” according to the ruling.

“The ‘general rule’ is that ‘individuals must receive notice and an opportunity to be heard before the Government deprives them’ of a constitutionally protected interest,” Kelly wrote.

The billionaire former reality TV star has long attacked media outlets that have aired critical coverage of his campaigns and administrations, repeatedly blasting the press as the “enemy of the people.”

The ban comes at a time when his approval ratings are at record lows, his Republican Party risks losing control of Congress in November’s midterm elections, and the US-Iran war drags on with no end in sight.

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