US3 min(s) read
A judge has delivered a major ruling on President Trump’s ban against CNN, Politico and MS NOW.
Last week, the 80-year-old president banned journalists from some of the US' most renowned networks from the White House.
BBC News reported that an MS NOW reporter and a photographer tried to enter the grounds on Saturday morning after the ban, but their badges would not scan, and an officer seized them.
Both CNN and Politico also said their reporters were barred from entering, and their badges were confiscated.
"The officer asked me to hand over my badge. He said that it was disabled," MS NOW reporter Akayla Gardner claimed. "I asked why I was not able to get inside. He said it was above him."
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Trump wrote on his social media platform that the ban was because media outlets "shouldn't be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they're covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America".
The three outlets hit back at the president, arguing that the ban was a "blatant violation" of their First Amendment right to press freedom.
"Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists' credentials because it objected to our reporting. Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public's right to independent journalism free from government interference," the statement said.
Trump then responded to the backlash by explaining that the White House is not "instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish," as cited by Sky News.
He claimed that he is "instituting an assault on the fake news, something that has grown like Cancer in our beloved United States of America".
"It is corrupt, purposeful, pervasive, fully coordinated, and totally out of control. It is a threat to our National Security, and must be stopped, now!" he added.
Vice President JD Vance also rejected the idea that the president's actions amounted to a ban, saying the White House would not grant "special access" to outlets it believes are spreading "propaganda" against the president and his agenda.
"He's not banning media outlets. What he's doing is saying we're not going to give you special access to the White House if you engage in what is effectively propaganda," Vance added.
On early Thursday (September 23), a judge ordered the Trump administration to immediately restore access to the White House for the three news organisations.
CNN, MS NOW, and Politico must now have their access restored for 14 days, after ruling the move "likely violated their constitutional due process rights".
"Simply put - the record lacks factual support for Defendants’ contention that the revocation of Plaintiffs’ hard passes will in fact protect national security or that national security will be endangered if the Court orders their passes reinstated while this litigation proceeds," Kelly added, per CNBC.
The White House has not yet commented on the ruling, and the president may take further legal action.
