CNN, MS NOW, and Politico Announce Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Over Denied White House Access

NEW YORK (AP) — CNN, MS NOW, and Politico announced on Monday that they have notified President Donald Trump's administration of their intent to file a lawsuit regarding their denied access to the White House. The three media outlets issued a joint statement on X, stating that their reporters were blocked from entering the White House and performing their duties. The reporters' entry badges were deactivated on Saturday, following Trump's announcement that he was barring these outlets due to reporting he deemed 'fake news.' The White House did not respond to a request for comment early Monday. This incident marks a continuation of Trump's efforts to limit news coverage from journalists he finds objectionable, raising concerns about First Amendment protections in the United States. White House reporters from CNN and MS NOW, Betsy Klein and Akayla Gardner, reported live that they were denied entry and had their press badges deactivated. Politico's White House reporter, Cheyenne Haslett, also reported being denied access and had her badge confiscated. In their joint statement, the outlets emphasized, '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.' They expressed concern that the revocation of credentials without notice threatens press freedom and the public's right to independent journalism. Trump and his administration have previously taken actions against certain media outlets, both legally and through regulatory means. The president has also criticized individual reporters publicly. Jacqui Heinrich, president of the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA), called for the immediate restoration of access for the three outlets, stating, 'The implications extend beyond these organizations: a standard used to exclude one news outlet because of its coverage could be applied to any outlet in the future.'