In a huge setback to US President Donald Trump, a judge has ordered the White House to restore CNN journalist Jim Acosta’s access. The CNN termed the development as ‘initial victory in its lawsuit against Trump.
Federal judge Timothy J Kelly, however, left open the possibility, that the White House could seek to revoke it again if it provided that due process, emphasising the “very limited” nature of his ruling and saying he was not making a judgment on the First Amendment claims that CNN and Acosta have made.
Interestingly, Judge Kelly was appointed to the bench by Trump himself last year. The CNN said in a statement, “We are gratified with this result and we look forward to a full resolution in the coming days. Our sincere thanks to all who have supported not just CNN, but a free, strong and independent American press.”
“I want to thank all of my colleagues in the press who supported us this week, and I want to thank the judge for the decision he made today,” Acosta was quoted by CNBC as saying outside the US District Court in Washington DC. He added, “Let’s go back to work!”
This came just days after US news channel CNN sued President Donald Trump days after the White House suspended the credentials of one of its reporters for grilling the American President.
The lawsuit filed by CNN is against President Trump and several of his aides, seeking the immediate restoration of chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta’s access to the White House. A report on the CNN website read, “The lawsuit is a response to the White House’s suspension of Acosta’s press pass, known as a Secret Service “hard pass,” last week. The suit alleges that Acosta and CNN’s First and Fifth Amendment rights are being violated by the ban.”
Last week, Trump had called Acosta ‘rude. terrible person’ as the reporter launched a barrage of uncomfortable questions towards the US President, who accused the journalist and his channel of peddling fake news. The journalist later took to Twitter to inform that the Secret Service stopped him when he tried to re-enter the White House on Wednesday evening.