CNN and MS NOW journalists were not allowed to cover the arrival of guests at the state dinner organized by U.S. President Donald Trump for his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. The ban came just hours after federal Judge Timothy Kelly had ordered the temporary restoration of these media outlets’ access to the White House.
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The court ruling, issued overnight, covered CNN, MS NOW and Politico. According to the judge, the removal of the journalists’ credentials could have violated constitutional rights related to due process.
Despite the order, the dispute between the U.S. administration and the three media outlets continued throughout Thursday. In the morning, journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico said they were initially denied entry to the White House grounds. Later, their credentials were reinstated and they were allowed to enter.
CNN reported that the restrictions resurfaced in the evening during the organization of Trump’s dinner with Xi Jinping. A network reporter and producer were not allowed to cover the Chinese president’s arrival.
According to CNN, the administration had earlier notified the network that it could cover the event only through a photographer and an audio technician. The team that included the reporter and producer would not be allowed to participate.
An MS NOW journalist also said she was denied entry to report on the event. The media outlets said the names of the team members had been submitted in advance for the issuance of credentials.
In his ruling, Timothy Kelly ordered the reinstatement of credentials for CNN, MS NOW and Politico, while the ban could not initially be enforced for a period of 14 days.
The judge also questioned the administration’s claim that the restrictions on the media were justified by national security. He emphasized that the materials presented in court did not provide sufficient factual support for that argument.
The U.S. administration had stated that reports by CNN, MS NOW and Politico on various topics posed a national security risk. Documents from the Justice Department mentioned, among other things, articles about missile stockpiles, the construction of a new room at the White House and a recent Republican convention.
Fox News, NBC, CBS and ABC, which had withdrawn from the shared coverage in a show of solidarity, had still not confirmed their return to the White House television coverage rotation.
These developments took place on the same day that Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House, where the state dinner was also held.
