Kelly said the plaintiffs have a strong chance of winning the case and suggested that the president’s decision likely violates the Constitution. He rejected the administration’s national security argument and pointed out that the journalists’ credentials were revoked without due process.
The judge also noted that officials did not establish standards of conduct whose violation would allow a pass to be revoked. In his ruling, he wrote that Trump was not talking about journalists being barred from the White House, but about the alleged unreliability and negative tone of their reporting.
On September 22, the White House sent letters to newsrooms accusing them of publishing “sensitive security information and disinformation”. As examples, it cited reports on how the war with Iran affected ammunition stocks, on sanctions against Russia, and on a request for $1 billion to renovate the White House East Wing, where Trump plans to build his ballroom.
On the eve of the hearing, Trump called Kelly, whom he himself had nominated during his first term, “completely disloyal” and promised to appeal the decision. The lawsuit by the three outlets was supported by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, the White House Correspondents’ Association, and 49 other media organizations.
Earlier, major U.S. television networks, including Fox News, ABC, CBS, CNN, and NBC News, suspended participation in the White House press pool in protest against the ban. After that, the administration announced the launch of the Trump TV YouTube channel, where it promised to show “the best videos and the most important moments” featuring the president around the clock.
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