CNN, MS NOW and Politico sued the Trump administration on Monday after their journalists were barred from the White House, arguing the ban amounted to a blatant violation
of the First Amendment. The suit, filed in the U.S. district court for Washington DC, seeks the immediate restoration of access for the outlets’ reporters.
Lawsuit Filed in Federal Court
In a joint statement, the three organizations said: 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 added, “Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting. Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference.”
How the Ban Unfolded
Trump announced the ban in a Truth Social post on Friday, writing it was a result of their constant 'reporting' FAKE NEWS!
He said the move was not tied to any specific stories but was really just cumulative stories over the last few years.
At an Oval Office event shortly after, Trump told reporters, It's sick. I mean, there's something wrong with a country that can allow people to write purposely negative stuff. Now, if they want to write them, that's fine. But I don't have to let them into my, into the people's house.
According to CNN, Trump’s close aide Natalie Harp had shown him clips of media coverage shortly before he announced the ban.
Pool Coverage Disrupted
CNN had been scheduled to serve as the television pooler on Monday, providing video coverage of the president’s activities to the rest of the press corps, including his planned travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. The White House removed CNN from the five-member pool, and subscribers to the White House television pool received a memo stating: This is to advise that, effective today, the TV pool will not be covering events designated as pool coverage of the President.
The five networks that make up the primary video pool — Fox News, ABC News, CBS News, CNN and NBC News — said in a statement: The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government.
Politico reported that ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News were declining to participate in White House pool duties going forward in response to the ban.
Legal Arguments and Reaction
The lawsuit contends that because the White House has previously granted access to journalists, those privileges cannot be revoked based solely on the content or viewpoint of their coverage. Citing Trump’s own remarks, the filing states: This ban could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment nor a more blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles.
Trump responded to the suit in an early Monday social media post, saying, The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish,
and adding that Access has always been a privilege — and President Trump is applying that rule.