MS NOW, CNN, and Politico have initiated legal action against the federal government, alleging that the White House violated the First Amendment by revoking their press credentials. The move follows President Donald Trump’s decision to exclude the three outlets from newsgathering at the presidential residence, marking another significant rift between the administration and national media organizations.
In a joint statement, the networks announced they notified the government of their intent to file suit to defend the principle that the state cannot dictate what the press reports or publishes. The organizations stated that credentials were stripped without notice or due process solely due to objections over their reporting, warning that such unchecked actions endanger press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The plaintiffs are seeking a judicial order preventing officials from taking further action to ban their staff from reporting on White House grounds and demanding the immediate restoration of the credentials necessary for access.
According to the legal filing, the Constitution safeguards the liberty and property interests that news organizations and White House correspondents hold in their credentials. The companies argued that these credentials provide essential access for the benefit of the public, and that no official has the authority to deprive them of these interests arbitrarily, without warning or process.
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