US Justice Department Accuses CNN, Politico, MSNBC of 'Trafficking in Falsehoods' Amid White House Ban Dispute
Quick Look
- The US Justice Department filed court documents accusing CNN, Politico, and MSNBC of trafficking in verifiable falsehoods and threatening national security, as it defends the White House ban on these outlets.
- The ban followed Trump's criticism of their reporting as 'fake news.' The outlets sued, calling the move unconstitutional, with a judge set to rule on a temporary lift.
- Forty-nine media organizations filed a supportive brief, and major TV networks withdrew from the presidential pool in protest.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump barred CNN, Politico, and MSNBC from the White House, accusing them of spreading 'fake news.' Their reporters had press passes confiscated and were denied access. The outlets jointly launched legal action, calling the ban unconstitutional. A judge is set to rule on whether to temporarily lift the ban pending a full hearing.
The US Justice Department has filed documents that accuse three media outlets banned from the White House of "trafficking in verifiable falsehoods" and reporting which "threatened national security" as it prepared to defend the move in court.
Last week, President Donald Trump barred CNN, Politico and MS NBC from the White House, accusing them of spreading "fake news".
After their reporters had their passes confiscated and were denied access to the building, the three outlets jointly launched legal action, calling the move unconstitutional.
On Wednesday, a judge is set to decide whether to issue an order temporarily lifting the ban, pending a full hearing.
According to a court filing by the Justice Department in a District of Columbia court, the three outlets were issued with a list of "reporting incidents" by the White House ahead of the ban.
The filing cites a number of stories about construction at the White House - including about a security bunker and the building of a new ballroom, as well as a report on an internal information leak investigation.
It goes on to say that "access to the White House is a privilege, not a right".
The three media organisations have argued that the ban breaches their rights under the First Amendment, which forbids the government from "abridging" the freedom of the press.
In a joint statement confirming legal action against the government, they said: "Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists' credentials because it objected to our reporting.
"Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public's right to independent journalism free from government interference."
Ahead of Wednesday's hearing, 49 media organisations - including CBS News, The New York Times and Fox News - filed a legal brief in support of the lawsuit against the White House.
Major TV networks have withdrawn from a media-sharing arrangement of video and images of the president, known as the pool, in protest over the ban.
Shortly after, the White House launched its own streaming channel, Trump TV, which operates a 24/7 feed of clips of the president.
On Tuesday, tensions continued between Trump and some of the news outlets, as Trump told CNN reporter Kaitlin Collins before his speech to the United Nations General Assembly: "I'm surprised that CNN is here covering me. You should not be here covering me. You said you weren't going to cover me."
Collins noted later on air that the network had made no such pledge.
He also took to social media to attack Collins, once again asking why she and others were reporting on the president at the UN. The US president also hit out again at CNN , Politico and MS NBC, calling them "treasonous".
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The judge will issue a temporary order lifting the White House ban on CNN, Politico, and MSNBC pending a full hearing.
Likely · Within days
The White House will continue to defend the ban in court, citing national security and claims of false reporting.
Very likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What specific evidence does the Justice Department have to support its claims of 'verifiable falsehoods' and national security threats?
- Will the court grant a temporary lift of the ban before the full hearing?
- How will the withdrawal of major TV networks from the presidential pool affect White House media coverage?
- What is the legal basis for the Justice Department's argument that press access is a privilege, not a right?
