CNN, Politico and MS Now sue Trump administration over White House ban
The news organizations argue the ban violates the first amendment, as the Justice Department cites national security to defend the decision.
CNN, Politico and MS Now have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after being banned from the White House, arguing the exclusion violates their first amendment rights, according to The Guardian.
In response, the US Department of Justice defended the ban in a court filing, arguing that access to the White House grounds is a "privilege" rather than a right, and citing national security concerns as justification for the restriction.
A dispute over press access
Lawyers representing President Donald Trump reiterated his past characterization of the three outlets' coverage as "fake news," and argued in the filing that withholding access does not amount to a constitutional violation, since no outlet has a guaranteed right to be present on White House grounds.
The lawsuit brought by CNN, Politico and MS Now places the dispute before a court, which will need to weigh the administration's stated security rationale against the outlets' first amendment claims.
This is not the first time press credentialing decisions by the Trump administration have drawn legal challenges from news organizations objecting to restrictions on White House access.
The report does not indicate when a hearing or ruling in the case is expected.
Sources
- DoJ defends Trump ban on CNN, Politico and MS Now, citing security concerns — The Guardian — World
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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