Trump has barred CNN, Politico and MS NOW from White House press access on Monday, citing their coverage. The move follows a joint lawsuit filed by the outlets seeking emergency relief to restore credentials.
Judge Timothy Kelly, appointed by Trump, assigned the case after the outlets requested court intervention. Kelly previously handled a lawsuit involving CNN correspondent Jim Acosta during the former administration.
The White House said the First Amendment does not guarantee hard passes and that access has always been a privilege— and President Trump is applying that rule.
Trump called the lawsuit a ‘fake news’ attack and said he would appeal if the court ruled against him, adding that the judge was appointed by his administration.
The administration will appeal the court’s decision if it sides with the outlets, with the case set to proceed over the next weeks.