WASHINGTON (MNN); CNN, MS NOW and Politico have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging the decision to bar their journalists from the White House and arguing that the move violates their First Amendment rights.
The three news organisations said the lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia after the White House revoked their journalists’ credentials and denied them access to the White House grounds.
In a joint statement, the outlets said their credentials were revoked without notice or due process because the administration objected to their reporting. They argued that the action threatened independent journalism and the public’s access to information about the government.
The lawsuit seeks to restore access for the organisations’ journalists and challenges the administration’s actions under the First Amendment. The complaint also raises Fifth Amendment due-process issues, according to reporting on the filing.
The outlets are seeking emergency court intervention, including a temporary restraining order that would restore their access while the case proceeds.
Trump Defends Ban
President Donald Trump defended the restrictions after the lawsuit was announced, saying the administration was targeting what he called “fake news” rather than the free press.
Trump has accused CNN, MS NOW and Politico of publishing what he considers false or misleading coverage. He has also suggested that additional news organisations could face similar restrictions.
The White House had not immediately provided a separate response to the lawsuit, according to reports published Monday.
Journalists Denied Entry, Credentials Confiscated
The dispute escalated on Saturday after journalists from all three organisations were denied access to the White House grounds and had their press credentials confiscated.
Trump had announced the restrictions on September 18 through social media, saying the three organisations would be barred from the White House. He later indicated that the decision was based on his objections to their coverage rather than a single specific incident.
The administration’s decision has disrupted the longstanding relationship between the White House and major news organisations, with the latest dispute now moving into federal court.
Major TV Networks Suspend Pool Coverage
The dispute also prompted major US television networks to suspend participation in the White House television news pool in solidarity with CNN.
ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and CNN jointly said the public has an important interest in receiving accurate and independent information about the government and that access should not be restricted because an administration objects to a news organisation’s reporting.
The television networks normally rotate responsibility for providing video coverage of the president at certain events. The suspension therefore affects the traditional system through which broadcasters share presidential coverage.
Broader Dispute Over White House-Press Relations
The latest confrontation is part of a broader dispute between the Trump administration and major US news organisations over press access and coverage.
The Associated Press, the White House Correspondents’ Association and other media organisations have also criticised restrictions on press access and raised concerns about First Amendment protections. The AP previously filed a lawsuit after being excluded from a group of journalists covering the president’s daily movements.
The legal challenge by CNN, MS NOW and Politico will now put the administration’s restrictions before a federal court, with the immediate issue being whether the organisations’ access to the White House should be restored while the broader constitutional dispute is considered.
