CNN, MS NOW and Politico file federal lawsuit to overturn White House press ban

According to reports from CBS News, three major news organizations—CNN, MS NOW, and Politico—announced Monday that they have filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration. The legal action comes in response to President Trump's decision to bar the outlets from White House grounds, a move the organizations argue violates the First Amendment.

The conflict escalated after President Trump stated in a Truth Social post on Friday that he was prohibiting CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House. This action represents the administration's latest effort to target news outlets over coverage the president views as disfavorable. Following the announcement, the three organizations were denied entry on Saturday, and their press passes were promptly revoked.

In a joint statement released Monday, the news organizations stated they are seeking an immediate restoration of their press access. Their legal motion characterized the ban as a direct assault on the constitutional protections of a free press. The filing noted that while presidents throughout American history have frequently disagreed with and complained about the tenor and content of press coverage, enacting an outright ban based on coverage is unprecedented.

President Trump responded to the criticism via social media on Monday morning. He wrote that the White House is not launching an assault on a cherished free press, but rather targeting what he termed "fake news." In a separate social media post, the president asserted that fake news represents a threat to democracy and stated his intention to take necessary measures to ensure the United States thrives.

The newly filed case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly. Appointed to the federal bench by Mr. Trump during his first term, Judge Kelly previously presided over a similar lawsuit brought by former CNN reporter Jim Acosta. During that earlier dispute, after the White House revoked Acosta's press pass, Judge Kelly sided with CNN and ruled that Acosta's Fifth Amendment due process rights had been violated, ordering his press credentials to be restored—an order that the White House ultimately obeyed.

The current lawsuit asks a Washington, D.C., federal judge to move swiftly to prevent further actions by the White House regarding the ban. The immediate impact of the policy was evident when CNN, which was scheduled to travel with the president on Monday as part of the network pool team, was unable to participate. Without a replacement designated, no television network traveled with Mr. Trump, marking an extraordinary development in presidential press coverage.

Legal notifications regarding the intent to sue have been served to the Trump administration. Alongside President Trump, the lawsuit names three top administration aides: White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, spokesperson Steven Cheung, and Secret Service Chief Sean Curran.

Speaking with reporters following Friday's announcement, President Trump suggested there was no specific incident that triggered the timing of the ban. He reiterated his stance that organizations producing what he considers fake stories lack credibility and argued that he is not obligated to permit them inside the people's house.

Bruce Brown, president of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, strongly criticized the administration's actions, calling the ban flatly unconstitutional. He described the decision to exclude the outlets from White House grounds as textbook viewpoint discrimination that should be quickly struck down by the judicial system.

This dispute follows previous attempts by the Trump administration to restrict media access across various government locations. Last year, the administration barred The Associated Press from specific White House events after the wire service declined to adopt the administration's proclamation renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America." The AP subsequently filed a lawsuit on First Amendment grounds. While a D.C. federal judge initially ruled in favor of restoring access, an appeals court later permitted the ban to take effect because it targeted restricted spaces like the Oval Office and Air Force One rather than areas generally open to the press, such as the briefing room.

The administration has also placed restrictions on media access at the Pentagon. Last year, the Defense Department instituted a requirement that journalists with daily access sign a set of rules, including provisions that could classify reporters who solicit sensitive information as security risks subject to removal. Most major news organizations, including CBS News, ABC News, NBC News, Fox News, and CNN, declined to sign and withdrew from the Pentagon. Although a judge struck down certain rules earlier this year, the Pentagon altered its policy to require government escorts for reporters on grounds, and an appeals court allowed that requirement to remain active.