Judge appears skeptical of Trump’s White House press ban and other hearing takeaways

A federal judge signaled doubt on Thursday about the Trump administration's effort to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, though he held off on a final decision. Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee from the president's first term, extended his temporary order keeping the reporters' access in place. He said he would decide on a longer-lasting injunction by Tuesday or earlier, and an appeal looks probable, according to CNN · PBS NewsHour.

Kelly pressed Justice Department lawyer Michael Velchik on two points. First, he said that removing a granted privilege without warning generally requires an urgent emergency, and this situation looked more remote than that. Second, he noted the mismatch between Donald Trump's public explanation, which was the outlets' unfavorable coverage, and the national security rationale now offered in court. He called the government's position an "uphill climb." Velchik countered that the president has discretion over who is admitted.

Kelly also questioned media attorney Ted Boutrous about whether the First Amendment would allow punishing outlets for publishing falsehoods, observing that falsity and unflattering coverage can be hard to separate. Boutrous replied that either rationale amounts to viewpoint discrimination and warned that letting officials simply label stories false invites unchecked discrimination.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CNN · PBS NewsHour’s reporting. Read the full story at CNN · PBS NewsHour →