Three news outlets had their White House credentials temporarily restored Thursday after a judge issued a 14-day restraining order against President Trump’s ban.
Politico, MS Now and CNN were told their access was restored Thursday morning, several hours after U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the Trump administration to “immediately return, reinstate, and restore” the press credentials.
The judge rejected Mr. Trump’s argument that the journalists produced “fake” news that posted a threat to national security.
The matter unexpectedly returned to court Thursday just hours after Judge Kelly’s 2 a.m. order.
Reporters from the banned outlets were initially turned away by the Secret Service at the White House entry point Thursday morning, leading their attorney to ask the judge to intervene.
In a court document filed Thursday afternoon, Micah Stopperich, the director of White House Operations, said the process of reinstating the badges began at 7:25 a.m. and were available for pickup by the journalists by 9:55 a.m.
The judge’s order appears to provide a temporary reprieve in Mr. Trump’s escalating battle with the press over White House access and comes on the day the White House will host a state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The fight over the ejected journalists led the broader TV and photo pool, including ABC, NBC, Fox News and CBS as well as wire photographers, to boycott the recording or distribution of images of Mr. Trump’s public activities.
In response, Mr. Trump’s press team launched Trump TV, an online site providing live and previously recorded coverage of the president.
The media outlets are seeking a preliminary injunction against the ban to extend the temporary restoration of their credentials. Judge Kelly ordered them to file their motion by Monday and the Justice Department, which is arguing the case for Mr. Trump, to respond by Oct. 2.
Separately, the White House sent letters to the three outlets outlining the administration’s reasons for revoking their credentials and giving them until Friday to respond.
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