CNN, MS NOW and Politico regained White House access Thursday under a judge’s 14-day order after being turned away. CNN and MS NOW later said the White House denied their reporters access to cover Chinese President Xi Jinping’s arrival for a state dinner.
The order grants temporary relief for 14 days on due-process grounds: whether required procedures were followed before access was revoked. Judge Timothy Kelly left the outlets’ broader First Amendment claims unresolved.
Other major networks and still photographers declined to fill CNN’s White House press-pool role. The networks’ refusal meant the White House could not simply rely on another major network to take CNN’s slot. MS NOW legal reporter Lisa Rubin warned that repeated confrontations could deter journalists, while the article notes smaller outlets may lack resources to challenge restrictions in court.
