Key facts
- The New York Times, Associated Press, and Fox News condemned Trump's media ban in a court filing.
- The outlets called the ban "constitutionally repugnant" and viewpoint discriminatory.
- The Trump administration cited national security and classified information as reasons for the ban.
- The administration's letters to the outlets did not claim classified information was published.
- The news organizations filed a federal lawsuit Monday challenging the ban.
- A judge will hold an emergency hearing Wednesday on a restraining order.
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.