White House ‘repeatedly violated’ court order to restore press access, say media outlets

Three US media organizations, CNN, Politico, and MSNOW, have requested an urgent court hearing, alleging the White House has "repeatedly violated" a court order to restore their press access. Employees of the three outlets reported being denied entry on Thursday morning, with some having their credentials taken away, while others were allowed in.

Judge Timothy Kelly ruled early Thursday that the White House's ban on the outlets likely contravened their constitutional due process rights, ordering the ban to be temporarily lifted. The White House had initially justified the ban due to "fake news" claims, later citing national security as the reason. It remains unclear if the selective denial of reporters on Thursday was due to an administrative delay in complying with the judge's order.

The standoff is anticipated to affect TV broadcasts as President Trump is set to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House for a state dinner. CNN stated that some of their journalists, including senior White House reporter Betsy Klein, were denied entry, although a producer was permitted to enter. Politico reported a reporter denied access and had press credentials confiscated, while MSNOW stated that its White House reporter Laura Barrón-López and a producer were barred, with another producer granted entry.

The White House has not yet commented on the ruling, and the president's legal team may pursue further legal action.