A federal judge has ordered the White House to restore press passes for reporters from Politico, MS NOW and other outlets after the Trump administration removed their credentials. Despite the court order, the administration blocked access to the White House on Thursday morning.
Politico and MS NOW reporters were denied entry after U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order requiring the restoration of hard passes. CNN staff also faced restrictions; reporter Betsy Klein and a photojournalist were turned away at about 6 a.m., while a producer managed to enter using a pass. MS NOW correspondent Laura Barrón‑López reported that after showing her badge to Secret Service agents, her pass was disabled and confiscated, leaving uncertainty over whether the administration is defying the order or experiencing a system lag.
Kelly’s order, issued around 1 a.m. before a busy day that included the arrival of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, rejected the administration’s claim that the ban was for national security. The judge found no factual basis linking the revocation of passes to security concerns and stated that the president’s justification focused on the perceived negativity and falsehoods in the outlets’ reporting.
Lawyers for the affected outlets have requested an emergency court hearing, arguing the White House has repeatedly violated the order. The Freedom of the Press Foundation’s chief of advocacy called the administration’s actions contemptuous, while Trump and the Department of Justice have labeled the outlets’ coverage as “fake news” that endangers national security. The judge’s order remains in effect for 14 days and cannot be immediately appealed.
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