A Secret Service officer stands on the White House lawn, with a crane visible above the roof
A judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore White House access to several media outlets. Photograph: Alex Wroblewski/AFP/Getty Images
A judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore White House access to several media outlets. Photograph: Alex Wroblewski/AFP/Getty Images

Judge orders Trump administration to restore White House access to CNN, MS Now and Politico

US district judge Tim Kelly said the ban on the three media outlets was likely unconstitutional, in an order that must remain in effect for 14 days

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore ⁠White House ⁠access ​to journalists from CNN, MS Now and Politico, ⁠saying his ban on the three media outlets was ⁠likely unconstitutional.

US district judge Tim Kelly issued his order in a lawsuit that the news organizations filed ‌contesting the ban that the president announced ​on 18 September. Kelly said the order must remain in place for 14 days.

Earlier on Wednesday Kelly cited past case law that clearly laid out the need for a distinct process that involved advance notice of an infraction and the opportunity to plead one’s case.

The judge said that prior cases made clear that “before a journalist’s White House hard pass was suspended or revoked, that the journalist was entitled to pre-deprivation notice and an opportunity to be heard”.

Trump had said on social media that the three outlets “shouldn’t be ⁠able to constantly write or ​report ​FICTION and LIES,” ​and justice department lawyers ​had ‌sought to ​justify ​the ban on national security grounds.

This is a breaking news story – check back for updates