WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Thursday signaled he may keep the White House from excluding POLITICO, CNN and MS NOW while their lawsuit against the Trump administration moves forward, questioning whether the government’s national-security justification can withstand the president’s own statements about the outlets’ coverage. At a hearing in Washington, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly called the Justice Department’s argument “an uphill climb.” President Donald Trump has said his decision to bar the organizations stemmed from his disapproval of their reporting, Kelly noted. Kelly is weighing whether to issue a longer-lasting injunction. He previously ordered the outlets’ access restored under a two-week restraining order, then extended that order through Tuesday. The temporary relief allowed the organizations to return to the West Wing as the legal dispute continued. A more durable injunction could preserve their access for months as the case proceeds. Kelly had not issued a ruling by the time of Thursday’s hearing. The dispute centers on the government’s power to control journalists’ access to the White House and whether that access can be restricted in response to unfavorable coverage. The case was heard at the E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse in Washington.