The White House has restored access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico after a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to return their press credentials.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued the order on Thursday, directing the administration to immediately restore access to the three news organisations. The ruling temporarily prevents the White House from enforcing the ban for 14 days.
The media outlets had challenged the administration after President Donald Trump announced on September 18 that their access to the White House would be revoked. The organisations argued that the decision violated constitutional protections and was connected to their reporting.
Judge Kelly said the journalists had shown a likelihood of succeeding on their claim that the administration failed to provide the required procedural protections before taking away their press access.
The White House began reactivating the affected press credentials on Thursday morning. According to a court filing, White House press operations were notified at 7:10 a.m. and began restoring access shortly afterwards. The Secret Service later confirmed that the relevant press badges had been reactivated.
The restoration followed a brief period of uncertainty after some reporters said they were initially turned away from the White House despite the judge’s order. The outlets subsequently returned to the complex as the administration implemented the ruling.
Trump's administration had argued that the restrictions were justified by national security concerns. Reuters reported that Judge Kelly rejected the government's argument as a basis for the ban in his ruling.
The dispute has also affected other media organisations covering the White House. Several outlets had suspended portions of their video and photographic coverage in solidarity with CNN after the ban, making the court decision significant for the wider White House press corps.
The ruling is temporary, and the legal dispute is not yet over. Further proceedings are expected over the coming weeks, while the administration could also seek an appeal.
The case has become part of a broader legal and political dispute between the Trump administration and several major news organisations over press access, reporting standards and the government's authority to regulate access to the White House.