Trump-Appointed Judge Extends Block On White House Media Ban
President Donald Trump’s effort to shut three news outlets out of the White House remains on hold — and a judge he appointed is weighing whether to keep it that way.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly on Thursday extended a temporary order blocking the administration’s ban on CNN, Politico and MS NOW, giving the outlets another reprieve while he considers a longer-lasting injunction.
The original 14-day order was scheduled to expire at 11:59 p.m. Thursday. Kelly extended it for “another two business days,” according to The Hill, with a ruling expected by Tuesday, October 13. TheWrap also reported that Kelly left the request for a preliminary injunction unresolved at Thursday’s hearing.
The dispute pits Trump’s claims of false reporting and national security risks against the outlets’ allegations that the president is punishing coverage he dislikes.
White House Defends Its Restrictions
The administration has defended the ban by citing national security concerns, anonymous sourcing and reporting it says contains falsehoods.
After imposing the restrictions, the White House sent letters identifying stories it said “threatened national security and/or spread falsehoods,” The Hill reported.
Justice Department attorney Michael Velchik argued Thursday that those letters provided sufficient notice and an opportunity for the organizations to respond, even though they declined to do so.
The outlets counter that the explanations came after Trump had already decided to exclude them.
Their attorney, Ted Boutrous, pointed to the president’s recent Time magazine interview as evidence that unfavorable coverage drove the decision. According to The Hill, Boutrous characterized Trump’s comments as a “confession” of his intent.
The organizations argue that restricting access because of their coverage amounts to unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination.
Judge’s Earlier Ruling Focused On Due Process
Kelly’s initial order required the administration to restore the organizations’ press credentials. His reasoning focused on whether the White House provided adequate notice and an opportunity to challenge the restrictions before imposing them.
He found that the outlets were likely to succeed on their constitutional due process claim. He did not resolve their separate First Amendment arguments.
As TheWrap reported, Kelly initially blocked the ban on September 24 and questioned whether the administration had supplied sufficient evidence for its national security justification. Thursday’s extension keeps temporary protections in place while the broader legal fight continues.
Air Force One Access Remains A Flashpoint
Restoring press credentials has not ended the confrontation.
CNN and Politico have been excluded from Air Force One trips since Kelly’s initial ruling, according to The Hill and Mediaite. The outlets contend that those restrictions undermine their ability to cover the president and fulfill their assigned press pool duties.
The pool is a rotating group of journalists that covers presidential activities and shares reporting with other news organizations. Some broadcast networks temporarily withheld pool coverage after CNN was prevented from taking its assigned turn, The Hill reported.
The White House maintains that the president controls access to restricted spaces, including Air Force One and the Oval Office.
A White House official told The Hill this week that traveling aboard the presidential aircraft “is a privilege not a right.”
