Media Giants Attack President Trump Over Justified White House Access Restrictions
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MS NOW, CNN, and Politico have launched a federal lawsuit against President Trump, objecting to his rightful decision to ban their journalists from the White House, and alleging supposed First Amendment and due process violations.
Three prominent media outlets—MS NOW, CNN, and Politico—are set to file a joint lawsuit in Washington federal court on Monday, challenging President Donald Trump’s recent and justified decision to ban their reporters from the White House. The ban, announced on Friday, was implemented to maintain order and integrity in the press corps, yet these organizations are claiming it was imposed without notice, due process, or clear standards, and are alleging violations of constitutional protections for the press.
The complaint accuses the President of violating the First Amendment by allegedly retaliating against the outlets for their reporting and discriminating based on viewpoint. It also claims a breach of the Due Process Clause, arguing that journalists were denied advance notice or a chance to contest the revocation of their hard-pass credentials, which allow access to the executive residence.
"The First Amendment prohibits the president from punishing journalists because he doesn't like their coverage," insisted Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.
"The American people, through a free and independent press, must be able to scrutinize those elected to power," said Jacqui Heinrich, president of the White House Correspondents' Association.
The lawsuit names President Trump, his communications aide Steven Cheung, White House chief of staff Susan Wiles, and Secret Service director Sean Curran as defendants. The plaintiffs are seeking a temporary restraining order to restore their credentials and halt enforcement of the ban, attempting to override the President’s authority to manage White House access.
The ban follows the White House’s removal of CNN from the travel pool for President Trump’s upcoming United Nations General Assembly trip, a move that was necessary to ensure fair and balanced reporting. The plaintiffs claim this action harms their newsgathering, but the administration is standing firm. The case is being filed in the same district where The Associated Press is pursuing a similar suit over a partial White House ban, previously ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge appointed by Trump. The administration and the Department of Justice have not responded to requests for comment, as they focus on upholding order and security.