Top US media organizations file lawsuit against Trump over journalist ban
Photo: US President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
Three leading US media outlets — CNN, MS NOW, and Politico — have filed a lawsuit against US President Donald Trump and his administration over a ban preventing their journalists from working at the White House, according to CNN.
The news organizations filed the lawsuit in federal court under the First Amendment to the US Constitution. They are seeking a temporary order blocking the administration from enforcing the access restrictions and restoring their journalists' credentials. Initial hearings in the case could take place as early as this week.
In the lawsuit, CNN, MS NOW, and Politico argue that the administration's decision violates their rights under the First Amendment, as well as constitutional guarantees of due process.
"This ban could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment nor a more blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles," the filing states.
The outlets said that the White House revoked their journalists' credentials without prior notice or due process because the administration was dissatisfied with their coverage. According to the media organizations, such an approach could create a dangerous precedent for the entire US press corps.
What happened
On September 18, US President Donald Trump announced a ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico operating within the White House complex. He said the decision was based on what he described as years of negative coverage by the outlets.
Following the announcement, journalists from the three organizations had their press credentials revoked. On September 19, CNN, MS NOW, and Politico reporters were denied entry to the White House, and Secret Service personnel confiscated their press passes.
The restrictions go beyond physical access. CNN and MS NOW have also lost access to their television equipment and designated filming locations within the complex. CNN was additionally removed from the press pool that rotates coverage of presidential events.
