White House 'Repeatedly Violated' Court Order to Restore Press Access, News Outlets Say

Lawyers representing CNN, MS Now and POLITICO told a federal judge on Thursday morning that the White House had already 'repeatedly violated' his overnight order requiring the Trump administration to return the press badges of journalists from the three news organizations, according to a report from The Guardian.

US District Judge Timothy Kelly, who had appeared skeptical of arguments made by lawyers representing the White House during a hearing on Wednesday, issued an early morning order forcing the administration to restore press access for the three outlets for a 14-day period. Despite the order, the news organizations said their reporters were barred from entering the White House on Thursday.

The dispute centers on a ban the Trump administration had imposed on the three outlets, restricting their journalists' access to cover the White House. The news organizations challenged the ban in court, arguing it was unconstitutional, and Judge Kelly's order was intended to restore their access while the broader legal challenge proceeds.

The allegation that the administration continued to bar journalists despite the court's order represents a significant escalation in the standoff between the news organizations and the White House, raising questions about the administration's compliance with judicial rulings on press access. Legal experts have noted that continued defiance of a court order could expose the administration to further legal consequences, including potential contempt proceedings.

The case is being closely watched as a test of press freedom protections and of the judiciary's ability to enforce its rulings against the executive branch when disputes arise over access to government facilities and officials.

It was not immediately clear how Judge Kelly would respond to the allegations of continued noncompliance, or what further steps the news organizations' lawyers might pursue to enforce the order.