CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins publicly called out the Trump White House on Thursday after reporters from her network were still blocked from the grounds despite a federal judge ordering their access restored.
The latest twist came just hours after U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order requiring the White House to immediately reinstate credentials for CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
But by Thursday morning, journalists from all three outlets said they were still being denied entry.
Collins highlighted the unusual scene on X while Chinese President Xi Jinping was visiting the White House.
“Despite the court order overnight, CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters are still being blocked from entering the White House grounds today. Yet for Xi’s visit, members of the Chinese state media are present.”
The post came amid an escalating legal fight between the Trump administration and the three news organizations, which sued after President Donald Trump revoked their White House access last week.
Trump announced the ban Sept. 18 after accusing the outlets of repeatedly publishing false or misleading coverage about his administration.
Kelly, whom Trump nominated to the federal bench in 2017, ruled that the outlets had shown a likelihood of success on their claim that the government revoked the passes without constitutionally adequate due process.
His order directed the White House to “immediately return, reinstate, and restore” the affected credentials for 14 days while the lawsuit continues.
Reporters said that did not happen Thursday morning.
The outlets quickly returned to court seeking an emergency hearing over the continued denial of access.
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The showdown comes only days after Trump confronted Collins during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Trump questioned why CNN was covering him despite the White House ban.
“You should not be here covering me,” Trump told Collins.
Kaitlan Collins responded, “The United Nations allowed us in, sir.”
The White House dispute has also drawn other major television networks into the fight.
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Fox News, ABC, CBS and NBC declined to participate in portions of the normal White House television pool arrangement in response to the restrictions on CNN and other outlets.
The controversy was especially visible Thursday as Donald Trump welcomed Xi and Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan for a high-profile state visit.
While American journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico remained outside, Collins pointed out that members of Chinese state media were permitted onto the White House grounds for the event.
The White House Correspondents’ Association has also condemned the original ban.
“The president said it plainly in the Oval Office, describing his own planned action as a ‘ban on the free press,’” Jacqui Heinrich, WHCA president, said in a statement.
“The Constitution protects the freedom of the press from government interference. That protection does not depend on whether the president likes a news organization’s coverage, agrees with its reporting, or approves of the questions its journalists ask.”
The court fight remains active as the three outlets seek enforcement of Kelly’s order and the White House continues defending its decision to restrict their access.
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[ H/T Trending Politics ]
