Judge Finds Trump Likely Violated First Amendment Banning CNN, MS Now and Politico

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, a first-term Trump appointee, ruled Oct. 14 that Trump likely violated the First Amendment by banning CNN, MS Now and Politico from the White House over their coverage, extending a September order that had restored the outlets' access. Kelly wrote that Trump "likely banned Plaintiffs...because he believes" their reporting was "inaccurate and biased," and found no evidence supporting the administration's stated national-security rationale for revoking their credentials. The administration filed an appeal the same day, according to multiple reports.

The ruling is the most substantive finding yet in a press-access fight that began in September, when the White House first barred the three outlets, later defied an order to restore access, and then blocked a Politico reporter from Air Force One. Press-freedom advocates say the case tests whether a president can condition White House access on favorable coverage.

Kelly's order remains in effect until he issues a final ruling or an appeals court intervenes. The Freedom of the Press Foundation said it expects the administration to keep blocking CNN and Politico from pool coverage while the case continues, calling the dispute "far from over."