CNN, MS NOW, and Politico announced plans to sue the Trump administration following the revocation of their journalists’ White House credentials. The news organizations stated in a joint statement that they are taking legal action to protect their First Amendment rights and defend the principle of independent journalism free from government interference.
The outlets claim the White House revoked their access “without notice or process” as a direct response to their reporting. President Donald Trump confirmed the ban on Friday, stating he was barring the outlets from the presidential residence as punishment for distributing what he describes as “fake news.”
“This morning, we notified the government that we are filing a lawsuit today to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes,” the joint statement from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico read.
The statement emphasized that left unchallenged, the administration’s actions threaten press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism. Trump did not specify what prompted the ban but warned that media outlets should not be allowed to “constantly write or report FICTION and LIES” when covering the president.
The 80-year-old Republican, who has long maintained a contentious relationship with the mainstream media, indicated that other outlets could face similar consequences. In his second term, the administration has increasingly punished certain media organizations through both courtroom actions and regulatory measures.
Trump has also frequently targeted individual reporters with personal attacks, both in person and on social media, including during his recent speech at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. CNN had been scheduled to serve as the White House TV pool on Monday, a rotating assignment where a broadcaster films on behalf of all television outlets for the day, but updated guidance from the White House late Sunday simply listed a back-up crew.
Additional sources: AP, AFP