The Justice Department has filed documents that accuse the White House of disseminating falsehoods and threatening national security by targeting three banned media outlets.
President Donald Trump barred CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House, labeling their reporting as “fake news.” The outlets’ reporters had their passes seized and were denied building access.
The three organizations then jointly filed legal action, arguing the ban is unconstitutional and violates First Amendment protections. They claim the White House’s revocation of credentials without notice amounts to government interference with independent journalism.
According to the DOJ’s filing, the White House supplied the outlets with a list of “reporting incidents” that the administration deemed defamatory. These included coverage of construction projects, a security bunker, the new ballroom, and an internal leak investigation.
The DOJ emphasized that "access to the White House is a privilege, not a right," framing the ban as a protective measure.
A judge is scheduled to rule Wednesday on whether to issue a temporary order lifting the ban pending the full hearing.
