In Victory for Free Press, Judge Rules Trump Must Immediately Restore Jim Acosta's Press Pass

A judge ordered the White House to restore CNN correspondent Jim Acosta's privileges covering the Trump administration on Friday. (Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr/cc)

In Victory for Free Press, Judge Rules Trump Must Immediately Restore Jim Acosta's Press Pass

"Today's decision reaffirms that no one, not even the president, is above the law."

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates...

In a victory for press freedom, a federal judge on Friday granted CNN's emergency motion to immediately restore White House correspondent Jim Acosta's press credentials, which were revoked by the Trump administration last week after a chaotic post-midterm press conference.

Over a dozen news organizations announced their support for CNN's lawsuit against the Trump administration this week as the Justice Department argued in a court filing that "[n]o journalist has a First Amendment right to enter the White House."

"Today's decision reaffirms that no one, not even the president, is above the law. The White House surely hoped that expelling a reporter would deter forceful questioning, but the court's ruling will have the opposite effect," the ACLU wrote on Twitter. "The freedom of the press is a bedrock principle, and our democracy is strengthened when journalists challenge our leaders rather than defer to them."

While the judge--who is a Trump appointee--didn't rule on the underlying case, his decision to grant CNN's emergency motion was viewed as an important victory for the organization and the American media as a whole.

"We are gratified with this result and we look forward to a full resolution in the coming days," CNN and Acosta said in a statement. "Our sincere thanks to all who have supported not just CNN, but a free, strong, and independent American press."

Join Us: News for people demanding a better world


Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place.

We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference.

Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today!

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.