News organizations sue the White House for access denial
American news media CNN, MS Now, and Politico are suing the White House because they are no longer allowed to come there. Last Friday, President Trump announced that they are no longer welcome because their reporting does not please him.
Last Saturday, reporters from the three major news organizations, who work at the White House daily, were indeed denied. Their access badge with a PIN no longer worked and was confiscated. The organizations immediately said they intended to defend their rights and continue their duty to hold the government accountable.
Today, President Trump was informed of the lawsuit by the news channels. It is an emergency lawsuit based on the First Amendment of the Constitution. It contains five fundamental freedoms, including freedom of the press.
In a joint statement, the news organizations say that the government does not determine what the media publishes. "If this is not challenged, it threatens freedom of the press and the public's right to independent journalism without government interference."
Long list of lawsuits
Trump regularly reacts with indignation when he is written about critically. He often says that these media make fake news, try to punish them, or personally attack journalists. He has also built up a long list of (threats of) lawsuits against unfavorable media, competitors, and business partners. Usually, these end in nothing, but they are expensive and time-consuming.
Last year, the news agency Associated Press (AP) was no longer allowed to enter the Oval Office and the presidential plane as punishment because they did not want to call the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, as Trump wanted. A lawsuit followed this. AP was initially right, but later the court ruled that the news agency could be expelled. The court did not find that freedom of the press was at stake.
Biggest conflict so far
The denial of access to CNN, MS Now, and Politico is seen as one of the biggest conflicts between Trump and the media so far. When announcing the access ban, he also said that more "fake news media" would follow.
The case will probably still be heard by a federal judge this week.