NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge temporarily blocked US President Donald Trump’s move to ban three news outlets from the White House grounds, ordering early Thursday that CNN, MS NOW and Politico must have their access restored.

It’s the latest development in an escalating showdown between Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes. Trump announced he was banning the outlets Friday, assailing what he called “fake news,” and later arguing that their reporting was a risk to national security. The outlets argued the ban was a blatant First Amendment violation because it singled them out for the content of their coverage.

In an order, US District Judge Timothy Kelly said the media outlets had met the legal thresholds to obtain a temporary restraining order, in effect for 14 days. He said they were likely to succeed in showing that their White House press passes were revoked without due process.

“This is a high bar, but Plaintiffs have met it,” he wrote.

The ruling hands the news outlets a reprieve in the escalating showdown between Trump and news organizations whose coverage he sees as negative. But the administration has repeatedly found ways to challenge coverage it dislikes.

Kelly said the government must have clear standards for conduct that would lead to revoking a press pass. He called the standard of objectionable reporting outlined in letters that the White House sent the outlets “so vague it hardly does the trick.”

Kelly — whom Trump nominated in 2017 and who ordered a CNN journalist’s access restored in a similar case in 2018 — heard arguments Wednesday. Temporary restraining orders are typically designed to preserve the status quo pending a closer review of the case by the court.

“This is a strong ruling vindicating freedom of the press, due process and the rule of law,” Theodore Boutrous Jr., attorney for the outlets, said in an emailed statement. “We greatly appreciate the court’s swift action.”

The White House did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment.

In an emergency hearing Wednesday, Kelly said his decision must be guided by prior rulings in........

© The Times of Israel