Washington: In a major blow to US President Donald Trump’s move to ban major TV network in the White House, a federal judge early on Thursday temporarily blocked his move. Earlier last week, Trump ordered a blanket ban three news- CNN, MS NOW and Politico— from the White House grounds. The court ordered the White House to restore their access.
It's the latest development in an escalating showdown between Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes. Trump announced he was banning the outlets September 18, assailing what he called "fake news." More recently, the president has said negative coverage was dangerous for the country.
The outlets argued they were singled out because of the content of their coverage - in other words, viewpoint discrimination - and called the ban a "blatant violation" of the First Amendment. US District Judge Timothy Kelly - who Trump nominated in 2017 and who ordered a CNN journalist's access restored in a similar case in 2018 - heard arguments on Wednesday and ended the hearing without ruling.
On Thursday, he issued a temporary restraining order that will be in effect for 14 days. Such orders are typically designed to preserve the status quo pending a closer review of the case by the court.
Media organisations sued Trump's order
The three organisations sued the administration on First Amendment grounds after their journalists were denied access to the White House grounds on Saturday and their hard press badges were revoked.
Representing the media organisations, attorney Theodore Boutrous urged Kelly on Wednesday to immediately restore the outlets'' credentials, arguing that the administration''s action amounted to “viewpoint discrimination” and saying the decision came “completely out of the blue.”
“These are urgent matters,” Boutrous told the judge.
“We’re at war. World leaders are coming to Washington," he added, as quoted by The Hill.
The US Justice Department, meanwhile, defended the administration's position that access to the White House is not an unrestricted right.
“Access to the White House is a privilege, not a right,” DOJ attorney Michael Velchik said during the hearing, as quoted by The Hill, adding that “at the very least, the president may exclude anyone he wants from the Oval Office.”
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In court filings, the DOJ argued that the White House is both the workplace and residence of the US President and that the administration has a compelling interest in enforcing standards for journalists granted access to the complex and in protecting national security information.
“The White House is the home and workplace for the Nation’s Commander-in-Chief. Plaintiffs CNN, MSNOW, and Politico have long been granted privileged access to White House grounds. But the President concluded that they have failed to maintain basic minimum “standards of professionalism and decorum expected of those given access to the White House Complex, including” by “publishing sensitive or classified information,” the department said in its filing.
(With inputs from agencies)