CNN, MS NOW and Politico have sued United States President Donald Trump and members of his administration over a decision to bar their journalists from the White House and revoke their press credentials.
The three media organisations filed the lawsuit on Monday, September 21, in a federal court in Washington, D.C., challenging the White House ban and arguing that the restrictions violate First Amendment protections for freedom of the press. They are also seeking emergency court intervention to restore their access to the White House.
The legal action followed Trump’s decision on Friday to prohibit journalists working for CNN, MS NOW and Politico from accessing the White House complex. Trump had criticised the organisations’ coverage of his administration, accusing the outlets of publishing what he described as “fiction and lies.”
Trump said the decision was connected to what he characterised as repeated negative coverage of his administration and the United States. He has maintained that he supports a free press but wants journalists to provide what he considers fair and honest reporting.
The ban was implemented over the weekend, when reporters from the three organisations attempting to enter the White House were turned away. Their press credentials were reportedly deactivated or confiscated, preventing them from carrying out their normal reporting duties from the complex.
In their legal challenge, CNN, MS NOW and Politico argued that their journalists lost access without prior notice or an established process and that the decision was linked to the administration’s disagreement with their reporting.
The organisations contend that government authorities should not be allowed to exclude news organisations from covering the President because officials object to the content of their journalism.
They are asking the court to issue a temporary restraining order or other emergency relief restoring their White House access while the broader constitutional dispute is considered.
The lawsuit has placed the relationship between the White House and the press at the centre of a new legal battle, particularly over the circumstances under which government authorities can restrict journalists’ access to presidential activities.
The three organisations argue that allowing the government to determine which news outlets can cover the President based on disagreement with their reporting could have wider implications for press freedom and the public’s access to information about government activities.
The dispute has also affected White House press-pool arrangements. Under longstanding arrangements among major television networks, responsibility for providing pooled video coverage of the President is shared among participating broadcasters.
CNN had been scheduled for a pool assignment but was removed from the assignment following the White House ban, adding another dimension to the dispute between the administration and the media organisations.
The case comes as Trump is in New York for activities surrounding the United Nations General Assembly. The White House press corps routinely covers the President’s movements and official engagements, making access arrangements an important part of presidential reporting.
The Trump administration has defended the restrictions, maintaining that the President has authority to determine access to the White House and arguing that the affected organisations have engaged in reporting he considers unfair or inaccurate.
Trump has publicly maintained that the action is intended to address what he considers problematic reporting rather than eliminate press freedom.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico, however, argue that the government should not retaliate against journalists or news organisations because of the content of their reporting. Their lawsuit therefore places both press access and constitutional protections before the federal court.
The case could receive expedited consideration because the organisations are seeking immediate relief and argue that continued exclusion limits their ability to report directly from the White House.
The court will consider the legal arguments presented by both sides, including the scope of presidential authority over White House access, the procedures used to revoke press credentials and the First Amendment protections applicable to journalists covering the federal government.
For now, CNN, MS NOW and Politico remain barred from the White House as their legal challenge proceeds, setting up a closely watched court battle over press access, presidential authority and constitutional protections for journalists.