CNN, MS NOW and Politico have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after their journalists were barred from the White House.
The three news organisations announced the legal action on Monday, saying they were seeking to protect their First Amendment rights and restore access for their reporters. The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia.
In a joint statement, the outlets said the government had revoked their journalists’ credentials without notice or a formal process because of objections to their reporting. They argued that allowing the government to restrict press access based on coverage would threaten press freedom and the public’s access to independent journalism.
The lawsuit follows President Donald Trump’s decision last week to ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House. Reporters from the three outlets were subsequently denied entry and had their credentials disabled or confiscated. Trump said the outlets should not be allowed to report what he described as “fiction and lies” about his administration and the United States.
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Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office after announcing the ban, Trump said he supported a free press but argued that news organisations should provide what he called fair and honest coverage. He also suggested that other media organisations could face similar restrictions.
The three outlets are asking a federal judge to restore their access while the broader legal challenge proceeds. Emergency hearings could take place as soon as this week, according to the organisations.
The White House had not immediately responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit, according to Reuters.
