# US Federal Judge Restores Journalist Access

> US federal judge blocks Trump's media ban, restoring White House access for 78 reporters ahead of midterms.
- Title: US Federal Judge Restores Journalist Access · mint | Shortify
- Summary: US federal judge blocks Trump's media ban, restoring White House access for 78 reporters ahead of midterms. US federal judge Timothy Kelly ordered White…
- Keywords: us federal judge, timothy kelly, white house, cnn, ms now, politico, trump, media ban, reporters, midterms, first amendment, unconstitutional
- Source: mint — https://livemint.com/news/us-news/us-federal-judge-allows-news-organisations-access-to-white-house-blocks-trumps-ruling-in-another-setback-11791951251123.html
- Author: Swati Gandhi
- Published: 2026-10-14T04:26:09+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: us federal judge, timothy kelly, white house, cnn, ms now, politico, trump, media ban, reporters, midterms, first amendment, unconstitutional
## US Federal Judge Orders Access
US federal judge Timothy Kelly ordered White House to restore access for 78 reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
## Trump's Media Ban Blocked
Judge blocked Trump's ruling that barred journalists from White House, deeming it unconstitutional.
## 78 Reporters Affected
Trump's ban impacted 78 reporters across three news organizations, including CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
## Hard Passes Restored
White House must restore reporters' 'hard passes' to access White House premises.
## National Security Claims Unsubstantiated
Administration raised national security concerns after action but failed to substantiate them.
## Trump's Rationale for Ban
Trump claimed reporters wrote fiction and lies about him, calling coverage negative or one-sided.
## Legal Consequences for Ban
Judge stated ban likely caused irreparable harm to media and public interest.
## Midterms Ahead
Setback for Trump administration comes weeks before November 3 US midterm elections.
## Key takeaway

US federal judge Timothy Kelly ordered White House to restore access for 78 reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico after Trump's ban on journalists was deemed unconstitutional.