Lawyers representing CNN, MS Now, and Politico argued in federal court on Thursday that Donald Trump admitted to banning these networks from the White House due to their critical coverage of him. This assertion came during a hearing where the media coalition sought an extension of a temporary restraining order (TRO) issued on September 24, which required the White House to lift the ban for 14 days.
Court Proceedings
The TRO was set to expire on Thursday, but District Court Judge Timothy Kelly, appointed by Trump, announced he would extend it until Tuesday. He indicated that he would likely rule on a motion for a preliminary injunction by that day, ensuring that journalists from the affected networks could continue accessing the White House until at least then.
Theodore J. Boutrous, the attorney representing the media companies, stated that Trump had made it clear in a recent interview with Time magazine that the ban was a direct result of their unfavorable coverage. He noted:
“"It’s just bad story after bad story, and when I say bad story, I can handle bad stories. I’ve got a lot of bad stories. Most of them are fake, and it’s not only CNN, and it’s not only MSDNC. It’s a lot of other people."
