News Outlets Seek Court Order to Block Trump Administration’s White House Media Ban

WASHINGTON: CNN, MS NOW and Politico have asked a federal court to prevent the Trump administration from enforcing its ban on the three news organizations’ access to the White House while their legal challenge is pending.

In a filing late Monday, lawyers for the three outlets argued that the administration had continued to enforce the restrictions inconsistently despite a temporary restraining order issued by U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly last week. The order restored the outlets’ White House access and is set to expire on October 8.

The news organizations are seeking a preliminary injunction that would maintain their access until the lawsuit is resolved. Their lawyers allege that the restrictions violate First Amendment and due-process protections. These are claims made by the plaintiffs and remain subject to judicial determination.

The filing also raised concerns over the White House television news pool, which includes CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News. According to the filing, CNN was prevented from carrying out its scheduled role as the designated television network pooler on September 26.

The other networks subsequently suspended the pool arrangement in solidarity with CNN. On Saturday, CNN was also barred from accompanying President Donald Trump aboard Air Force One during his trip to Tennessee, while the other networks declined to provide a replacement.

The White House has maintained that access to the presidential residence is a privilege rather than a right. Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the administration’s position, saying the president has authority to determine who travels on Air Force One and criticizing what he described as inaccurate media coverage.

Judge Kelly, however, expressed skepticism in his ruling that national security concerns were the actual motivation for removing the outlets’ access, according to AP.

The dispute is the latest development in an ongoing legal and political confrontation between the Trump administration and several news organizations over access to the White House and federal government officials.