CNN, MS NOW, and POLITICO sue White House over revoked press credentials

Three news organizations banned from the White House by President Trump have confirmed that they are suing the government.

The three outlets, CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO, have filed the federal lawsuit to restore access to the White House for their reporters, after their clearance was revoked on Saturday.

“This morning, we notified the government that we are filing a lawsuit today to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes,” spokespeople for the brands said in a statement Monday.

“Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting,” the statement continued. “Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference.”

Trump confirmed on Friday that the three organizations were being banned from the White House. On Truth Social, he declared that the ban was “effective immediately.”

“Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America,” he claimed. “Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow.”

By Saturday morning, CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO all said that their journalists had been stopped from accessing the White House grounds.

Speaking live, MS NOW reporter Akayla Gardner confirmed that she had been denied access to the White House.

“The officer asked me to hand over my badge. He said that it was disabled,” Gardner said. “I asked why I was not able to get inside. He said it was above him.”

Betsy Klein, a CNN reporter, said live on Saturday that her badge had also been taken that morning. She has covered events at the White House for the network since the Obama administration.

“I asked him if he could provide an explanation as to why it had been deactivated. He said he had no further information,” Klein said.

Jonathan Greenberger, the global editor-in-chief at POLITICO, shared a statement with NPR, which revealed reporter Cheyenne Haslett was also refused entry to the White House.

“We stand by her and all reporters here covering the White House,” Greenberger said. “As we said yesterday, we will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights.”

Now, the three organizations are being represented by Theodore Boutros Jr., of law firm Gibson Dunn.

Trump and three major White House officials - Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Communications Director Steven Cheung and Secret Service Director Sean Curran - are all named in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit, viewed by The Independent, argues that the ban violates the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause, as well as the First Amendment.

“This ban could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment nor a more blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles,” the lawsuit reads.

The Independent has contacted the White House and the DOJ for comment.