CNN, MS NOW, Politico to sue Trump administration over White House access

Three major news outlets, CNN, MSNBC, and Politico, have announced plans to sue the Trump administration over the denial of White House access. The news organizations revealed their decision to file a lawsuit in a joint statement on Monday, asserting that their First Amendment rights have been violated. President Donald Trump had previously banned these outlets from the White House, citing their reporting of "fake news" and "fiction" as reasons for the restriction.

The trio of media organizations informed the government that their lawsuit will be filed today to protect their First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government cannot dictate what the press reports or publishes. The White House revoked their journalists' credentials without prior notice or process, citing objections to their reporting. The news outlets emphasized that allowing such actions would threaten press freedom and the public's right to independent journalism free from government interference.

Trump's decision to ban the outlets was not based on any specific incident but rather his general dissatisfaction with the mainstream media, which he has long accused of spreading "fiction" and "lies." In his first term, Trump had already taken several measures to punish certain media outlets, including legal challenges and regulatory actions.

His administration has also directly targeted individual reporters, sometimes using highly personal language during briefings or at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

As part of Trump's second term, his administration has increasingly targeted specific media outlets, both in the courtroom and through regulatory measures. In response to these actions, CNN had been scheduled to serve as the White House TV pool on Monday, a rotating assignment where a broadcaster films for all television outlets on a given day. The White House issued updated guidance on Sunday, providing a backup crew to take over for CNN and the other two news outlets.