CNN, MS NOW, Politico take Trump to court over White House ban
CNN, MS NOW, and Politico have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration following the revocation of their press credentials for White House access. The media organizations made the announcement on Monday, seeking the restoration of their journalists’ access and protection of their First Amendment rights.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, as reported by Reuters. This legal action follows President Trump’s decision on Friday to bar reporters from the three news outlets, claiming they had disseminated “fiction and lies” about him and his administration.
On Saturday, staff members from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico were turned away from the White House, with their press credentials confiscated as the administration enforced the ban.
In their joint statement, the media organizations criticized the administration’s actions, asserting that it should not dictate what journalists can report. “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,” they stated.
The organizations further argued that the White House revoked their journalists’ credentials without warning or due process, solely due to the administration’s objections to their reporting. They warned, “Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference.”
The lawsuit was initiated just two days after journalists from the affected outlets were denied entry to White House grounds, with their press passes forcibly taken. In their legal challenge, the media organizations are requesting that the court restore their access. Emergency proceedings could begin as soon as this week, according to Reuters.
