White House defies court order, keeps barring journalists

The White House continues to shut out reporters from Politico, CNN and MS NOW, even after a federal judge ordered their access restored. On Thursday morning, Secret Service officers turned away journalists from all three outlets, seizing credentials in at least two cases, according to live reports and statements from the news organizations.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order early Thursday, requiring the White House to restore the outlets' access for at least two weeks while the case proceeds. Kelly found that the ban likely violated the outlets' constitutional right to due process, which guarantees fair procedures before the government takes away a benefit or right.

Despite that ruling, the White House did not comply. Politico reported that one of its reporters was denied entry and had his credentials confiscated. CNN's Betsy Klein, whose badge was seized Saturday, tried to return Thursday morning and was told she was not in the system. A CNN producer got through, but a photojournalist had his badge taken moments later.

MS NOW reporter Laura Barron-Lopez cleared the outer perimeter but was stopped at an inner checkpoint. An officer told her,

“It's still being disabled. It's still coming up as disabled.”

Her badge was confiscated, and she had to leave the premises.

The administration has defended the ban on national security grounds, an argument Kelly rejected. In his ruling, he wrote,

“The court is skeptical, at least on this record, that defendants' interest in safeguarding national security is the actual motivation for, or is even advanced by, the revocation of plaintiffs' hard passes.”

The lockouts came on a busy day for the White House press corps, as President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping for a rare state visit. The irony was not lost on reporters: the White House press secretary, Taylor Rogers, described the president's actions as “holding the fake news accountable,” even as the administration hosted a leader with a far more restrictive press environment.

This episode raises serious questions about press freedom and the rule of law. When a court order is ignored, the message is clear: the executive branch considers itself above judicial review. For a country that champions free expression, that is a dangerous precedent. In Guyana, where we value transparency and accountable governance, we should watch closely. The health of a democracy depends on the ability of journalists to do their jobs without fear of retaliation.

The case will continue in court, but the immediate defiance sets a troubling tone. If the White House can disregard a judge's order so casually, what else might it ignore?