A US federal judge has ruled that President Donald Trump’s decision to restrict White House access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico likely violated the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which protects freedom of speech and the press. US District Judge Tim Kelly, in an order issued on Tuesday, directed the administration to restore the news organisations’ access while their lawsuit continues. The judge said Trump’s public statements appeared to establish a connection between the restrictions and the outlets’ reporting, which the president had criticised as inaccurate and biased. According to Kelly, the available evidence supported the journalists’ argument that their access had been withdrawn in retaliation for coverage the administration disliked. The ruling represents a setback for the White House in its legal battle with the media organisations, although it does not resolve the lawsuit. The administration retains the option of challenging the decision through an appeal.

Judge Rejects National Security Defence
The Trump administration had argued that national security concerns partly justified the restrictions, pointing to reporting on subjects including the Iran war, plans for an East Wing ballroom and the Republican midterm convention. However, Kelly found insufficient evidence to establish that security concerns had motivated the decision. He noted that the government had not identified the specific information in the reports that was allegedly classified or sensitive, nor had it provided supporting material for the court to examine, even under seal. The judge acknowledged the government’s responsibility to protect classified information and clarified that the ruling did not prevent action against unlawful disclosures. Nevertheless, he concluded that the evidence presented did not adequately justify the restrictions on security grounds. Kelly said the president’s own remarks instead indicated that dissatisfaction with the outlets’ reporting was a significant factor, raising concerns about unconstitutional discrimination based on the viewpoints expressed in their coverage.

Earlier Ruling and White House Response
The latest decision follows an earlier ruling in which Kelly ordered the administration to reactivate the organisations’ press credentials on due-process grounds. The judge found that the outlets had not received adequate notice or a meaningful opportunity to respond before their access was