Media Outlets to Sue President Trump Over White House Ban

MS NOW, CNN, and Politico are set to sue President Donald Trump on Monday morning, requesting a federal judge to reverse his ban on the three media outlets from the White House. Journalists from these outlets were barred from entering the White House on Saturday, following Trump's announcement of the ban. The lawsuit states, "This ban could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment nor a more blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles." The complaint, which will be filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, emphasizes that the Constitution protects the interests of news organizations and White House reporters in their press credentials and access to cover the White House for the public's benefit. The suit argues that no official can deprive the plaintiffs of these interests without notice or due process, as was done by the President. Trump announced the ban on Friday, accusing the outlets of spreading false information about him and warning that other media outlets might follow suit. In a joint statement, the three outlets indicated that they are filing the lawsuit to protect their First Amendment rights and to uphold the principle that the government does not dictate press coverage. They intend to file a joint motion for a temporary restraining order to prevent Trump and other defendants from enforcing the ban and to restore press credentials to their reporters. The defendants include Trump's communications assistant, Steven Cheung; White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles; and Sean Curran, director of the U.S. Secret Service. On Sunday night, the White House removed CNN from its scheduled rotation as the pool network for White House travel. The lawsuit follows a similar case where The Associated Press has a pending lawsuit against the White House regarding access restrictions for its journalists. Trump stated that he believes the ban is justified, regardless of a potential judicial overturn. The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University expressed confidence that the ban would not withstand legal scrutiny, citing First Amendment protections for the media. MS NOW reiterated its commitment to defending First Amendment rights and the role of independent journalism. The White House Correspondents' Association emphasized the necessity of a free press to scrutinize elected officials. In a previous ruling, Judge Trevor McFadden determined that a partial ban on AP journalists violated the First Amendment, reinforcing that the government cannot selectively deny access to journalists based on their viewpoints.