US judge ordered restoration of White House access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
The outlets had challenged Trump administration’s restrictions as a First Amendment violation.
Trump defended the move, accusing the organisations of reporting “FICTION and LIES”.
US Judge Blocks Trump’s Ban On CNN, MS NOW And Politico, Calls It 'Unconstitutional'
US District Judge Tim Kelly passed the order in a lawsuit filed by the three media outlets after they challenged the administration’s decision to bar them from access on September 18
Summary
A US federal judge has directed the Donald Trump administration to reinstate White House access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico, saying the restrictions placed on the three news organisations were "unconstitutional".
US District Judge Tim Kelly passed the order in a lawsuit filed by the three media outlets after they challenged the administration’s decision to bar them from access on September 18, Reuters reported.
The organisations had argued that the move violated their rights under the First Amendment, which protects freedom of the press. The court order came after the outlets contested the administration’s decision to restrict their ability to cover White House activities.
The restrictions followed Trump’s criticism of the three organisations. In a social media post, the US president accused them of publishing false reports and said they “shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES”.
The Justice Department defended the administration’s action, arguing that the decision was linked to national security concerns.
After the ban was announced, CNN, MS NOW and Politico informed the Trump administration that they would challenge the decision in court, saying that the restrictions infringed upon press rights. Five major US news organisations, including Fox News, announced that they would not cover the president under the restrictions.
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