CNN, MS NOW and Politico have sued the administration of US President Donald Trump, challenging the decision to bar their journalists from the White House and revoke their press credentials.
The three media organisations announced the legal action on Monday, saying they were seeking to restore their journalists’ access to the White House and defend their rights under the First Amendment of the US Constitution. Reuters reported that the lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia.
The lawsuit followed Trump’s decision on Friday to ban the three outlets from the White House. Trump accused the organisations of publishing what he described as “FICTION and LIES” about him, his administration and the United States.
In a joint statement, CNN, MS NOW and Politico said they had notified the government that they were taking legal action.
“This morning, we notified the government that we are filing a lawsuit today to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes.”
The organisations said their journalists’ credentials were revoked without notice or process because of objections to their reporting.
“Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference,” they said.
The dispute escalated on Saturday, September 19, when reporters from the three organisations were turned away from the White House after the ban took effect. Their press badges were confiscated or deactivated.
Trump had defended the decision in a post on his Truth Social platform, arguing that media organisations should not be allowed to repeatedly publish what he considers false reports about the President and his administration.
Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office, Trump said he supported a free press but wanted what he described as a “fair and honest press.”
“It’s sick. I mean, there’s something wrong with a country that can allow people to write purposely negative stuff,” Trump said.
He added that the organisations could continue writing what they wanted but said he did not have to allow them into the White House.
CNN had previously described the ban as an “illegal assault” on its constitutional right to report without government interference, while MS NOW and Politico also said they would defend their First Amendment rights.
The legal action now places the dispute before a federal court, with the three organisations seeking the restoration of their White House access. Reuters reported that the outlets expect the court to consider emergency relief, potentially within the week.
The case could also affect the White House press pool. CNN had been scheduled to serve as the television pool representative on Monday, a role that involves providing coverage of the President for the wider White House press corps. Reuters reported that the White House removed CNN from that scheduled assignment following the ban.
The White House has not publicly announced a legal response to the lawsuit as of Monday’s reports.
The dispute is the latest confrontation between the Trump administration and major US news organisations over access to the White House and presidential coverage. Previous disputes have also involved restrictions on journalists from other outlets, including the Associated Press.
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