A federal judge in Washington began hearing arguments on Wednesday over President Donald Trump’s decision to ban three major news outlets from the White House. CNN, MS NOW and Politico are asking the court to restore their access immediately while their legal challenge moves forward.
The outlets argue that the ban violates the First Amendment’s protections for free speech and a free press. They also say it breaches their due process rights. US District Judge Timothy Kelly, who was appointed by Trump, noted that two earlier rulings from the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit make clear that journalists must receive due process before their White House press passes can be taken away. The judge observed that the White House did not appear to give the three organizations a real chance to contest the decision.
Attorney Theodore Boutrous, representing the news outlets, told the court that the ban was imposed without the required advance notice or opportunity to respond. He described the move as an unprecedented, unreasonable and severe punishment. Trump announced the ban on social media last Friday, claiming the outlets constantly write or report fiction and lies about the president.
In a filing just before the hearing, the Justice Department countered that access to the White House is a privilege, not a right. Officials also pointed to national security concerns linked to the outlets’ coverage. The news organizations rejected that argument, calling the ban a direct assault on the First Amendment and basic constitutional principles.
The case arrives at a tense political moment. Trump has accused the media of trying to damage Republicans ahead of the November midterm elections. Opinion polls show his approval ratings remain low. In a show of solidarity, major television networks suspended their pooled coverage of Trump’s movements on Monday. That left some of the president’s public remarks inaudible during a White House ceremony.
Free speech experts say the ban rests on weak legal ground. Courts have long held that the government cannot condition press access on favorable coverage once it opens a space to the media. Judge Kelly himself ordered the White House to restore CNN correspondent Jim Acosta’s press pass in a similar 2018 case after finding the process unfair.
A wide coalition of press freedom groups and news organizations, including Reuters, The Washington Post and Fox News, filed a supporting brief. They argued that stripping journalists of access because of their editorial viewpoint violates decades of Supreme Court rulings. The legal battle continues as both sides prepare for further arguments.
