Trump administration asserts that White House access is "a privilege, not a right"

The U.S. Justice Department has argued that the government can control journalists' access to restricted presidential areas, characterizing such access as a "privilege" rather than a "right," according to a report by Le Monde.

This position comes after the exclusion of several media outlets, including CNN, MSNBC, and Politico, from certain spaces reserved for covering the presidency.

According to the department, these restrictions can be justified even on grounds related to disagreements over the news coverage provided by the outlets in question.

The report does not specify the exact terms of the exclusion of the media outlets cited, nor whether they have taken steps to challenge this decision.

The question of journalists' access to presidential spaces has already been a source of tension in the past between various U.S. administrations and certain news organizations, particularly regarding the balance between the prerogatives of the presidency and freedom of the press.