Major news organizations, including The New York Times and Associated Press, have jointly condemned President Donald Trump's decision to ban their reporters from the White House. In a court filing, they argued the ban was "constitutionally repugnant" and based on viewpoint discrimination, not national security.
The legal challenge and condemnation by major news outlets highlight a significant clash between the executive branch's power to control access to the White House and the public's interest in a free and unfettered press, potentially setting a precedent for future interactions between the administration and media.
Major news organizations, including The New York Times, Associated Press, and Fox News, have jointly condemned President Donald Trump's decision to ban their reporters from the White House, calling the move "constitutionally repugnant" and harmful to the public interest. In a court filing Tuesday, the outlets argued the administration's reasons for the ban were "transparently viewpoint discriminatory."
The Trump administration had described the ban as a matter of national security, intended to prevent the publishing of classified information. However, letters purportedly sent to the outlets earlier Tuesday did not cite classified information as the basis for the ban. Trump has frequently criticized these news organizations for reporting what he calls "fake news" and "lies," though he has offered few specifics.
The collective message to the court is part of a federal lawsuit filed Monday in the U.S. District Court in Washington by the three news organizations whose reporters had their credentials confiscated by the Secret Service over the weekend. The case has been assigned to Judge Timothy Kelly, who previously ruled in favor of CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta when his credentials were revoked in 2018. Judge Kelly will hold an emergency hearing on Wednesday to consider granting a restraining order to temporarily restore access for the reporters.
Pick the topics you care about. Get only what matters, on your cadence.