CNN, Politico, and MS NOW announced on Monday that they are suing President Donald Trump to overturn his recent prohibition barring their reporters from entering the White House. The legal challenge seeks a temporary restraining order to compel the immediate restoration of press credentials and halt enforcement of the ban.
The complaint, set to be filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, characterizes the move as a “direct assault on the First Amendment” and a “blatant violation” of constitutional principles. The suit argues that while presidents have historically disagreed with press coverage, the Constitution protects the liberty and property interests inherent in press credentials and the access they provide to serve the public.
“No official can deprive Plaintiffs of those interests on a whim — with no notice, no process, and no warning — as the President did here,” the lawsuit states. Journalists from the three outlets were excluded from the White House on Saturday, one day after Trump announced the restriction.
In a joint statement, the media companies emphasized their commitment to defending press freedom. “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 statement read. The outlets added that revoking credentials without due process threatens both independent journalism and the public’s right to information free from government interference.
Trump justified the ban in a Friday Truth Social post, accusing the networks of spreading fiction and lies. He cited “cumulative stories” from the three outlets and warned that additional “Fake News Media Outlets” would face similar restrictions. When asked about the potential for judicial intervention, Trump stated that the ban was still worth implementing to make a point, regardless of whether it survived in court.
The defendants named in the suit include Trump, White House Communications Assistant Steven Cheung, Chief of Staff Susan Wiles, and Secret Service Director Sean Curran. The legal action comes shortly after the White House removed CNN from its rotation as part of the pool network scheduled to travel with the president to New York for the United Nations General Assembly on Monday.
Legal experts have expressed skepticism about the administration’s position. Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, stated that the First Amendment prohibits the president from punishing journalists for unfavorable coverage. “With so many courts having ruled against him on exactly this point, you’d think President Trump would have learned this lesson by now,” Jaffer said.
The lawsuit mirrors another pending case by The Associated Press, which is challenging a partial ban on its reporters in certain White House areas, including the Oval Office and Air Force One. That dispute originated in February 2025 after the wire service refused to adopt Trump’s preferred terminology for the Gulf of Mexico.
I find it absurd he’d prioritize making a point over basic access. Seems like a tantrum, not policy. Let’s see how this plays out.
Funny how due process only matters when it’s inconvenient. If this stands, no journalist is safe from White House whims.
Does he really think courts will side with him? Previous rulings were pretty definitive on this. Hope I’m wrong.
This is a clear First Amendment violation. The press cannot be punished for uncomfortable reporting. Support our journalists!