(AFP) – CNN, MS NOW, and Politico said their reporters were barred from entering the White House on Thursday despite a court ordering that their access be restored. The three media outlets reported that their journalists were turned away by the Secret Service when they attempted to enter the presidential mansion.
A federal judge ruled overnight that the news organizations banned by President Donald Trump last week should have their access to the White House immediately restored. Judge Timothy Kelly stated that revoking the press credentials of these media outlets “likely violated their constitutional due process rights.” He emphasized, “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.”
Trump has long attacked news outlets that have aired critical coverage of him, repeatedly denouncing the press as the “enemy of the people.” CNN, MS NOW, and Politico were banned from the White House on Friday as a punitive measure for distributing what the president labeled “fake news” and “fiction and lies.” Theodore Boutrous, representing the outlets, welcomed the judge’s decision, calling it a “strong ruling vindicating freedom of the press, due process, and the rule of law.” He expressed appreciation for the court’s swift action.
The three outlets filed a joint lawsuit requesting a temporary restraining order against the ban, arguing that it violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which safeguards the right to a free press. Prior to the ruling, the Department of Justice contended that Trump could “control reporters’ access to restricted presidential areas, such as the Oval Office,” stating, “Access to the White House is a privilege — not a right.”
In a letter to CNN, the White House Press Office accused the network of “trafficking in verifiable falsehoods about national security and other issues, and publishing sensitive or classified information,” with similar accusations made against MS NOW and Politico. The letter cited multiple stories related to the US-Iran war and Trump’s plans for a military bunker below the planned East Wing ballroom, claiming these disclosures included “top-secret” construction details.
Judge Kelly appeared unconvinced by the government’s arguments, expressing skepticism about whether the concern for national security was the actual motivation behind the revocation of the press credentials. Some reporters from the three media organizations were denied access to the White House grounds on Saturday, having their passes confiscated, marking yet another incident in the ongoing clash between the Trump administration and mainstream US media.
In a rare act of solidarity, the top five US broadcasters announced they would halt pool coverage of the White House, where a broadcaster typically films on behalf of all television outlets for the day. They asserted, “The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government. No administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting.” Additionally, the White House Correspondents’ Association and nearly 50 news organizations filed a brief with the court urging the reversal of the bans on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico.
– Chris Lefkow
© 2024 AFP
