CNN, Politico, MS NOW sue Trump administration over White House ban

Leading news outlets CNN, Politico and MS NOW have sued the ⁠⁠administration of United States President Donald Trump after it banned them from the White House grounds.

“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,” the outlets said in a joint statement on Monday.

Later on Monday, their complaint was filed in the Washington, DC, federal court.

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

All three outlets said on Saturday that their journalists were turned away from the White House grounds and their press credentials confiscated.

In the statement, they added that they would file ⁠⁠a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia and could see emergency hearings in the case as soon as this week.

Also on Monday, leading US broadcasters, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC said in a joint statement that they suspended TV “pool” coverage of Trump. TV broadcasters rotate responsibility for filming the president at some events.

“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government. No administration should restrict a news organisation because it objects to its reporting,” the statement said.