U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly temporarily blocked the Trump administration from excluding CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists from the White House and ordered their press credentials restored. Reuters reported that the judge said the ban was likely unconstitutional.
The three news organizations sued after the administration announced the ban on September 18. They argued it violated First Amendment protections for free speech and a free press, as well as due-process rights. The White House had said access was a privilege rather than a right.
The order restores access while the case proceeds; it is a temporary measure. The court has not issued a final ruling on the merits of the lawsuit.