Trump vs. the Media: Who Gets Into the White House? トランプとメディア――ホワイトハウスで取材できるのは誰か？

 日本語訳

Trump vs. the Media: Who Gets to Report from the White House?

Who gets to enter the White House and report on the president? That question is at the heart of a legal dispute between President Donald Trump and three major news organizations.

On September 18, Trump announced that reporters from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico would no longer be allowed on White House grounds. He accused the outlets of repeatedly publishing what he called “fiction and lies” about his administration. The White House later defended the decision by citing concerns about their reporting, professional standards, and handling of sensitive information.

The three organizations challenged the decision in federal court. They said they had lost access because of their reporting and that the decision violated their constitutional rights. Meanwhile, the administration argued that access to the White House is a privilege, not an automatic right. It also maintained that the president has the final authority to decide who can enter.

The case then moved quickly in federal court.

On September 24, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly temporarily blocked the ban for 14 days. He ordered the administration to restore access for reporters from the three outlets while the case continued. The judge said the news organizations were likely to succeed in showing that their press passes had been withdrawn without proper legal procedures. He also questioned parts of the administration’s explanation for the decision.

However, the situation remained unsettled. Several hours after the ruling, reporters from the three organizations said they were still being denied entry to the White House. The outlets asked the court for an emergency hearing. They regained access to the grounds later that day. On September 28, the outlets asked the judge to keep the ban blocked until a final ruling in the case.

For ordinary citizens, the issue goes beyond which news organizations can enter the White House. It also concerns how people get information about the president and his administration. The case remains unresolved. Its final outcome could affect the White House’s relationship with the media and the public’s access to information about the government.