US judge orders the White House to restore CNN reporter's access

A federal judge Friday ordered the White House to reinstate the press credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta, whose pass was revoked after a heated exchange with President Donald Trump.

Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order that requires the White House to restore Jim Acosta's access until a full hearing is held, according to the network.

CNN and other media groups, including Trump favourite Fox News, backed the lawsuit, which claimed that revoking Acosta's pass violated constitutional guarantees of a free press.

Kelly said that his ruling was based on "due process" for the journalist, and that he would holding additional proceedings on the constitutional issues at stake, including the First Amendment free press guarantee.

"I want to be very clear that I have not determined that the First Amendment was violated," he said in the Washington courtroom.

CNN lawyers argued in court Wednesday that the White House violated Acosta's First Amendment right to free speech in revoking his credentials.

The US Justice Department's lawyer, James Burnham, countered that Acosta had "disrupted" last week's news conference. Burnham insisted "there is no First Amendment right to access the White House."

READ: CNN Sues US President Donald Trump And The White House For Barring Its Journalist

Acosta, CNN's chief White House correspondent, angered Trump when he persisted in questioning the president at a November 7 news conference, ignoring demands he yield the microphone.

The US President has had a difficult relationship with a section of the press, of which CNN happens to be a part of.

On the second anniversary of US President Donald Trump winning the election, the former businessman turned politician had a fiery exchange with the press.

He was irked when CNN's reporter asked him on about the migrant caravan from Central America moving towards the US. The US president had called them 'criminals' in an earlier statement. "I think you should let me run the country, you run CNN."

READ: 'You Are A Rude, Terrible Person': Donald Trump Slams Reporters At Post-election News Conference At White House

After that the reporter asked him about the indictments coming down in Russia investigation, he said, "I tell you what, CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person, You shouldn't be working for CNN."

This was followed by an altercation between the two. From the podium, Trump had called Acosta -- a frequent target of his ire -- a "rude, terrible person." 

(With PTI inputs)