US judge orders Trump to lift White House ban on news outlets

Court rules restrictions on CNN, MS NOW and Politico likely unconstitutional in setback for administration

A federal ⁠judge ⁠ordered US ⁠President Donald Trump on Thursday to restore White House access for journalists from CNN, MS ‌NOW and Politico, saying his ban on the three media outlets was likely unconstitutional.

In a major setback for ⁠Trump in one of his biggest ‌battles with the media, US District Judge Tim Kelly ‌issued his order in a lawsuit ⁠that ⁠the news organisations filed contesting the ‌ban that the Republican president announced on September ‌18.

Trump ‌had said on social ‌media that the three outlets “shouldn’t ⁠be able to constantly write or ⁠report FICTION and LIES”, and Justice Department lawyers had sought ‌to ‌justify the ban on national security grounds.