Judge weighs restoring White House access for CNN, MSNBC, and Politico
Lawyers for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico urged a federal judge on Wednesday to immediately restore their White House access after President Donald Trump revoked their credentials, but the judge declined to rule on the spot. District Judge Timothy Kelly heard arguments for nearly an hour and appeared skeptical of the ban, which Trump imposed Friday as punishment for what he called "fake news." The outlets sued, arguing the move violates First Amendment free press rights, while the Justice Department countered that White House access is a privilege, not a right. Kelly, a Trump appointee, previously ordered the White House to restore a CNN reporter's access during Trump's first term. The top five US broadcasters halted pool coverage in solidarity, and nearly 50 news organizations filed a brief supporting the outlets.