Reporters' White House issue status

NBC News - CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists were allowed back at the White House Thursday after they had been barred entry despite an overnight court order requiring the administration to temporarily restore their access.

CNN’s Betsy Klein and MS NOW’s Laura Barrón-López, who are White House reporters for their organizations, began reporting live on the air after they were allowed in. Both media outlets pointed to the on-air reporting when asked for comment. Politico wrote shortly afterward that one of its reporters was granted access, too.

On Thursday morning, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the Trump administration to respond in writing after journalists from the three media outlets were turned away from the White House even after the judge’s order. Kelly early in the morning had granted a temporary restraining order reinstating the outlets’ access for 14 days while their legal challenge proceeds. It was not clear why the journalists had been barred from entry in the morning.

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The Hill - CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters were unable to access the White House on Thursday, despite a federal judge ordering the Trump administration to immediately restore their press credentials.

CNN reporter Betsy Klein and a photojournalist were also denied access to the White House grounds early Wednesday, while one CNN producer was able to enter the property using their pass, the outlet reported.

“There was no reason provided for the refusal and CNN will continue to try to gain access as regular business hours start,” CNN’s story on the matter noted.

MS NOW also noted on its website that its reporter was blocked from the White House after the court ruling came in overnight.

A Politico reporter, meanwhile, “was denied access” to the White House on Thursday, and his press credentials were “confiscated,” according to the organization.

The journalists were blocked from the grounds before 9 a.m. EDT. Given the timing, there is a possibility the ruling was not yet processed....

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled early Thursday that the White House must grant reporters from the blocked outlets access to the White House complex, days after the media organizations sued after President Trump banned their journalists from his residence.