White House still blocking three US news outlets despite court order, media say
CNN, Politico and MS Now journalists were again denied entry to the White House on Thursday, despite a judge's order to temporarily lift Trump's ban, prompting the outlets to seek an emergency court hearing.
Three major US media organisations — CNN, Politico and MS Now — have asked for an emergency court hearing, saying the White House has "repeatedly violated" a judge's order to restore their journalists' access. On Thursday morning, several of their reporters were turned away, with some having press credentials confiscated, while others were let in.
Judge Timothy Kelly ruled in the early hours of Thursday that President Donald Trump's ban on the three outlets should be temporarily lifted, finding it "likely violated" their constitutional due process rights. Trump had originally justified the ban by calling the outlets' coverage "fake news"; the White House later pointed to national security concerns instead.
It remains unclear whether Thursday's continued refusals stemmed from an administrative delay while the White House worked to comply with the ruling. The dispute threatened to disrupt television coverage on a day when Trump was hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House ahead of a state dinner.
CNN said several of its journalists, including senior White House reporter Betsy Klein, were denied entry, though a producer was allowed in. Politico said one of its reporters was refused access and had his credentials taken. MS Now reported that correspondent Laura Barrón-López and a producer were barred and had their passes confiscated, while another of its producers was admitted.
The White House has not yet responded to the ruling, and lawyers for the president may pursue further legal action.
How the standoff began
Trump announced last Friday that he was banning the three outlets from the White House, accusing them of publishing "fiction or lies" about his administration. By Saturday, all three reported being denied access to the grounds and having their badges confiscated. On Monday, the outlets issued a joint statement confirming they were pursuing legal action to defend the principle that government does not dictate press coverage.
Most other major outlets have backed the three in the dispute. TV networks including Fox News, NBC, CBS and ABC suspended their televised White House coverage in solidarity, and more than 50 media organisations spanning the ideological spectrum — including Fox News, The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal — filed a supporting brief in the lawsuit.
