CNN, MS NOW and Politico say they’ve notified the Trump administration they’re filing a lawsuit over being denied White House access.
Reporters from the three news organizations were blocked from the White House on Saturday, a day after President Trump said he was barring them because of reporting he deemed “fake news.”
Their lawsuit argues that the U.S. Constitution “does not allow a president or any other government official to deprive the press of their First Amendment rights and liberty and property interests with no notice or process based solely on his dislike of the content of their reporting.”
On his Truth Social platform, Trump responded on Monday morning that he “cherished” America’s guarantees of a free press.
“The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish,” the president said in his post. “It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS, something that has grown like Cancer in our beloved United States of America. It is corrupt, purposeful, pervasive, fully coordinated, and totally out of control. It is a threat to our National Security, and must be stopped, NOW!”
Also on Monday, CNN was removed from its pool coverage duties, which are shared by the major networks.
As the three outlets take their case to court, they’re getting some support from other establishment news organizations. The Washington Post reports major TV networks will no longer provide pool video coverage of President Trump in response to his treatment of CNN.
