CNN, MS NOW and Politico are suing the Trump administration after their reporters were barred from the White House and stripped of their press credentials, setting up a new federal court fight over government access and freedom of the press.
The three news organizations announced Monday that they had notified the government of their lawsuit, which is being filed in U.S. District Court in Washington. They argue that revoking their journalists’ credentials because of objections to their reporting violates First Amendment protections for the press as well as Fifth Amendment due-process rights.
The dispute began Friday when President Trump announced that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be barred from the White House, accusing the organizations of publishing false and unfair coverage. The following day, CNN reporter Betsy Klein, MS NOW reporter Akayla Gardner and Politico reporter Cheyenne Haslett were denied entry to the White House grounds after their credentials were deactivated or confiscated.
The news organizations are seeking emergency court intervention that could lead to hearings as soon as this week. They say the White House revoked their access without notice or a process for challenging the decision and argue that allowing the action to stand could give the government broad authority to restrict journalists based on their reporting.
Trump defended the decision again Monday, saying the action was directed at what he considers false reporting rather than freedom of the press. The White House had not separately responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit early Monday.
The case follows earlier legal battles over White House press access. During Trump’s first term, a federal judge ordered the White House to restore CNN correspondent Jim Acosta’s credential after it was revoked in 2018. The Associated Press is also involved in ongoing litigation stemming from restrictions placed on its access during Trump’s second term.
The Readovia Lens
This case extends beyond the access of three news organizations. At its center is whether the federal government can revoke White House press credentials because officials object to an outlet’s coverage, and what constitutional protections and procedural safeguards apply when it does. A federal court could soon be asked to draw that line.
