Judge seems poised to reinforce block of Trump's White House media ban

A federal judge appeared ready to extend his block on President Donald Trump's media ban from the White House. Judge Timothy Kelly stated that the administration's claim the ban was based on national security concerns is contradicted by Trump's own words. The judge is considering granting a more permanent injunction to maintain the outlets' access during ongoing litigation.

Trump's ban on POLITICO, CNN, and MSNOW was initially lifted last month, but Kelly extended it through Tuesday, allowing the three outlets to regain access to the West Wing. The judge found that the ban likely violated their due process rights, as the White House restricted access without notice and without clear standards for news organizations.

Media executives, reporters, and First Amendment attorneys attended the hearing, with Boutrous Jr. arguing that the ban violated the news organizations' First Amendment rights and aimed to chill free press. The Justice Department countered that they provided due process after the ban went into effect, citing letters identifying stories the administration deemed as misinformation or national security risks.

However, Boutrous dismissed these letters as a sham process, as there was no evidence Trump had signed off on or even knew about them. Velchik, a Justice Department lawyer, argued that the president should have more leeway in determining press access than federal agencies, attributing it to the "sacred" nature of the White House.

Kelly noted that his decision would be guided by established precedents that forbid the White House from barring access based on content disagreements and that the revocation of such access must have clear standards and advance notice.