CNN, MS NOW and Politico have announced plans to sue the Trump administration after their journalists were barred from entering the White House and had their press credentials revoked.
The three news organisations said they notified the government on Monday that they would file the lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. They are seeking to restore their access and argue that the ban violates their First Amendment rights.
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In a joint statement, the organisations said the White House revoked their journalists’ credentials without notice or an opportunity to challenge the decision. They argued that the government should not determine which news organisations can report from the White House based on their coverage.
The dispute began on Friday when President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be barred from the White House. Trump accused the outlets of publishing what he described as “fake news” and suggested that other media organisations could also face restrictions.
The ban was put into effect over the weekend. Reporters from the three organisations were turned away from the White House grounds, while some journalists were asked to surrender their press credentials. CNN had also been scheduled to provide television pool coverage of Trump’s activities on Monday.
Trump has defended the decision, saying the White House is not attacking the free press but is responding to what he considers inaccurate or unfair reporting. He has also described the media organisations as a national security threat, although he did not provide evidence for that claim.
The planned lawsuit could become another major legal dispute over the relationship between the White House and the press. The organisations are asking the court to issue an emergency order restoring their access while the broader case is considered.
The case also comes amid earlier legal battles involving White House press access. During Trump's first term, CNN successfully challenged the attempted removal of reporter Jim Acosta's press credentials, while the Associated Press has also been involved in a separate dispute over White House access.
The White House has not immediately provided a detailed response to the planned lawsuit. The case is expected to test how First Amendment protections apply when the government restricts access to journalists covering the president and his administration.