CNN, MS NOW and Politico to file lawsuit against Trump's White House ban

CNN, Politico, and MSNBC Plan Lawsuit Over White House Credential Revocation

CNN, Politico, and MSNBC have announced plans to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration following the revocation of their White House press credentials. President Donald Trump stated on Friday that the three organizations had been barred from the White House, citing their reporting as containing "fiction or lies."

The outlets reported that their journalists were denied entry and had credentials taken when attempting access on Saturday. In a joint statement issued Monday, the organizations said they would pursue legal action "to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes."

The First Amendment prohibits government actions that abridge press freedom. Courts have interpreted this provision to limit content-based discrimination against media organizations in certain contexts. The statement from the three outlets added that credentials were revoked "without notice or process" due to objections over their reporting, and that leaving the action unchallenged would affect press access.

The White House has not issued a response to requests for comment on the planned lawsuit. Trump did not identify particular articles or broadcasts as the basis for the decision, describing it instead as resulting from "cumulative stories over the last few years." He indicated that additional organizations could face similar measures and, when questioned, named the New York Times and the Washington Post as examples of outlets he viewed as producing inaccurate coverage.

CNN had been scheduled to participate in the White House press pool covering Trump's travel to the United Nations General Assembly this week. That assignment was reassigned, with Real America's Voice listed in a secondary role. The press pool, which distributes coverage of presidential events among participating outlets, has been under White House management since February. Prior to that change, the White House Correspondents' Association had overseen pool operations for more than a century.

White House press credentials have historically been treated as revocable privileges rather than permanent rights, with prior administrations citing security, space, or administrative reasons for restrictions. Courts have held that limited access to specific White House areas does not constitute an absolute First Amendment entitlement.

In February, the administration restricted Associated Press reporters from certain restricted spaces after the outlet continued using the term "Gulf of Mexico." The AP filed suit, and that case remains pending. The Trump administration has initiated legal proceedings against several other news organizations, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the BBC, with some resulting in settlement payments. The BBC case is ongoing.