Judge weighs Trump’s attempt to ban CNN, Politico, and MS Now from White House

The lawyer representing the Trump administration, Michael Velchik, argued today that there are two reasons behind banning the three outlets. First “packaging verifiable falsehoods” and failing to meet “minimum journalistic standards”, and second national security.

“We’ve never argued that this is solely and only because of national security,” Velchick said, but later conceded that there is “overlap” between the two ideas and they are not mutually exclusive.

Interestingly, Velchick argued today that it would be a tall order for the outlets to claim irreparable harm for being blocked from the White House, because of the pool members who acted in solidarity by refusing to carry television feeds while their newsrooms were blocked from the White House.

“I would ask the court to try and analyze how, in practical terms, can they say that it is irreparable,” he said.