Judge blocks Trump's White House ban targeting CNN, MS NOW and Politico, saying it likely violated First Amendment

Key Points:

• A federal judge, Timothy Kelly, blocked President Trump's ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico journalists from the White House, citing likely violations of their First and Fifth Amendment rights and granting a preliminary injunction to maintain their access.
• Judge Kelly noted that the revocation of press credentials appeared intended to deter reporting unfavorable to Trump, and that the administration failed to provide sufficient evidence linking the ban to national security concerns.
• The news organizations argued the ban was retaliatory and violated due process, as they were not given prior notice or a chance to respond before losing their White House access.
• The White House cited professionalism standards and national security issues as reasons for the ban, but many of the flagged articles were written by journalists without White House passes, and the judge found these justifications unconvincing.
• President Trump acknowledged expecting to lose in court and indicated the Justice Department would appeal, while his longstanding conflict with the media continues, with the ban representing an escalation in his efforts to control press coverage.