CNN, Politico, and MS NOW announced Monday they will sue the Trump administration after being barred from the White House. President Donald Trump announced the ban on Friday, accusing the three news organizations of reporting "fiction or lies" about his administration.
The companies stated that their reporters were denied access to the White House and had their press credentials revoked when attempting to enter the building on Saturday. In a joint statement, the outlets said they are pursuing legal action to "protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes."
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the government from "abridging" the freedom of the press. Courts have traditionally interpreted this to mean the government cannot discriminate against media organizations based on the content of their coverage.
"Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists' credentials because it objected to our reporting," the statement from CNN, Politico, and MS NOW continued. "Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public's right to independent journalism free from government interference."
Trump did not specify which stories prompted the ban but later said it was due to "cumulative stories over the last few years." When asked by a reporter to elaborate, he suggested other news organizations, such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, could also be deemed "fake news."
The Trump administration has previously engaged in legal actions against news outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the BBC, with some resulting in substantial settlements. The lawsuit against the BBC remains ongoing.