Trump administration seeks to reinstate White House access ban for CNN, Politico and MS NOW
Photo: US President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
The administration of US President Donald Trump is seeking to reinstate a ban preventing CNN, Politico, and MS NOW from accessing the White House, according to The Hill.
The US Department of Justice has presented new arguments in court, claiming that CNN, Politico, and MS NOW allegedly failed to meet basic professional standards.
Trump administration lawyers argue that the president determined that the three media outlets failed to meet the minimum "standards of professionalism and decorum expected of those given access to the White House Complex" expected of journalists with access to the White House complex.
In particular, the Justice Department cited reports published by CNN, MS NOW and Politico that, according to the administration, disclosed sensitive or classified information.
The court filing also reiterates the White House’s position that the activities of these media outlets could pose a threat to national security. The administration is now relying not only on that argument but also on claims that the outlets allegedly violated journalistic standards.
The administration’s new arguments came after US District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the White House to restore access for journalists from CNN, Politico and MS NOW. The court concluded that the administration had failed to follow proper legal procedures when revoking the outlets’ press access.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico ban
In September, the White House revoked access to the complex for representatives of the three media outlets. CNN, MS NOW and Politico subsequently went to court to challenge the administration’s decision.
A federal court temporarily blocked the ban, after which journalists regained the ability to work on White House grounds.
The US Department of Justice is now asking the court to allow the Trump administration to impose the restrictions again. In previous filings, Justice Department officials argued that access to the White House is a "privilege, not a right."
The situation also escalated over CNN’s participation in the presidential press pool. The administration twice prevented the network’s journalists from carrying out their duties during Trump’s trips, including during his visit to Knoxville and his trip to campaign events in Oklahoma and Texas.
Trump himself previously said that the White House was not restricting press freedom but was fighting "fake news." The media outlets, meanwhile, maintain that the administration’s decision violates their constitutional rights.
