CNN, MS NOW and Politico denied access to White House despite judge's order

Three U.S. news outlets, CNN, Politico and MS NOW, were denied entry to the White House on Thursday, following a federal judge's ruling that President Donald Trump's ban on their access was likely unconstitutional. The news organizations had requested an immediate hearing before US District Judge Tim Kelly, who had ordered the ban to be halted for 14 days just hours earlier.

This marked a significant setback for the President in a series of disputes over press freedom that had unfolded over the previous week. Judge Kelly ruled that revoking the journalists' credentials "likely violated their constitutional due process rights" and expressed doubts about the Justice Department's national security arguments for the ban.

Despite the ruling, the outlets remained barred from the White House, with Politico reporting that its reporter's credentials had been confiscated, and an MS NOW journalist being blocked. CNN stated that some of its staff were denied entry onto the premises. Trump had announced the ban on social media last Friday, claiming the news organizations were publishing "FICTION and LIES" about his administration and posing a threat to national security.

Multiple news organizations, including Reuters, joined the lawsuit, supporting the outlets' claim that their First Amendment rights had been violated. National security concerns were rejected by the judge, who found no factual support for the administration's argument that the ban would protect national security.