CNN, MS NOW, and Politico filed a lawsuit against the administration of President Donald Trump on Monday after their journalists were expelled from the White House and their press credentials were deactivated, a decision that the three outlets deem a violation of the First Amendment.
The lawsuit, confirmed by AP, which had access to the court document, asserts that the three media outlets were excluded due to the content of their coverage and describes the measure as a "flagrant violation" of their constitutional rights.
"This morning we notified the Government that we are filing a lawsuit today to protect our rights under the First Amendment and to defend the principle that the Government does not dictate what the press reports or publishes," stated CNN, MS NOW, and Politico in a joint statement.
The organizations stated that the White House revoked the credentials of their journalists "without notice or due process" because it objected to their coverage, and warned that if this measure goes unchallenged, it could impact press freedom and the public's right to receive independent information.
The conflict began on Friday, when Trump announced that he was banning CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, accusing them of spreading what he referred to as ‘fake news’ and warning that other media outlets could face the same fate.
The decision took effect on Saturday. Betsy Klein, a correspondent for CNN; Akayla Gardner, from MS NOW; and Cheyenne Haslett, from Politico, were denied entry when they attempted to access the White House complex.
Their credentials had been deactivated and, in Haslett's case, his pass was also confiscated.
This Monday, CNN was also removed from the duties it had assigned within the group of television networks that share presidential coverage.
The network was supposed to cover Trump's trip to New York, but the group reported that there would be no replacement for that coverage following the White House's decision.
Trump responded this Monday to criticism through a post on Truth Social, where he stated that he values press freedom, but defended actions against media outlets he believes are responsible for spreading false information.
"The White House is not waging an attack against a free press, something I appreciate," wrote the president, before stating that his offensive is directed against what he called "FAKE NEWS".
The lawsuit argues that the exclusion constitutes a form of discrimination based on viewpoint, claiming that the government revoked access for journalists due to the content of their reporting.
The White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) also called for the immediate restoration of access for the three media outlets.
Her president, Jacqui Heinrich, warned that a criterion used to exclude an organization for its coverage could later be applied against any other media outlet.
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