‘We’re going to keep fighting’: Lawyer for outlets banned by White House braces for Trump’s next move

A federal judge has blocked the White House from keeping reporters from MS NOW, CNN and Politico out of the building while their lawsuit proceeds, and the administration says it will appeal. Attorney Ted Boutrous, who represents the three outlets, says his team is prepared to carry the dispute to the Supreme Court. It is a preliminary ruling, not a decision on the merits.

Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee, issued the preliminary injunction on Tuesday, replacing a temporary restraining order he granted last month. He concluded that the ban, which took effect September 19, probably violated the First Amendment and the Fifth Amendment's due process clause. President Donald Trump had announced it on social media a day earlier, blaming the outlets' coverage. After the outlets sued on September 21, the White House cited national security instead. Kelly found nothing in the record showing Trump decided on that basis or ever said so himself.

A White House spokesperson told MS NOW the outlets can report from outside the Oval Office. The Justice Department declined comment. Boutrous said the administration reflexively leans on national security claims, and he expects it to seek help from the Supreme Court's conservative majority.

Summarized by PolitiKool from MS NOW’s reporting. Read the full story at MS NOW →