A U.S. federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s decision to bar three major news organizations from the White House, ordering the administration to restore their press access while the legal dispute continues.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a 14-day temporary restraining order on Thursday, directing the White House to immediately return, reinstate and restore the press credentials of journalists from the affected organizations. The ruling came after the news outlets challenged the administration’s ban in federal court.

Trump had announced the ban on September 18, accusing the organizations of publishing what he described as false or misleading reports. The administration later argued in court that the president has broad authority to control access to restricted areas of the White House and that national security concerns were involved.

The judge, however, said the organizations had met the legal requirements for temporary relief. He indicated that they were likely to establish that their press credentials had been revoked without adequate due process.

Kelly also questioned the administration’s national security justification, saying the court record did not show that national security was the actual motivation for removing the journalists’ credentials. He further said the administration needed clear standards governing circumstances in which press access could be revoked.

The ruling does not resolve the underlying lawsuit. Instead, it temporarily preserves access while the court examines the broader constitutional and legal questions raised by the dispute.

The case has drawn wider attention from news organizations and press-freedom advocates. Several media groups had supported the legal challenge, while other television networks suspended portions of their White House pool coverage following the ban.

The White House has defended its position, maintaining that access to the White House is a privilege rather than an unrestricted right.

The court’s temporary order could now set the stage for a broader legal battle over presidential authority, press access and constitutional protections for journalists covering the U.S. government.