CNN, MS NOW and Politico have sued the Trump administration after their White House access was revoked, arguing the decision violates constitutional protections for the press.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a lawsuit Monday in U.S. District Court in Washington after reporters from the three organizations were denied entry to the White House on Saturday.
Their press credentials were disabled or taken by a Secret Service officer. Reuters reported that the outlets are seeking legal protection for their ability to cover the administration.
President Donald Trump announced the restrictions Friday, accusing the organizations of publishing what he described as “fiction or lies.”
He said the decision followed what he characterized as cumulative coverage of his administration and indicated that other media organizations could also face restrictions.
The lawsuit names Trump, White House communications assistant Steven Cheung, Chief of Staff Susan Wiles and Secret Service Director Sean Curran as defendants.
The plaintiffs include the three media companies and reporters Akayla Gardner of MS NOW, Betsy Klein of CNN and Cheyenne Haslett of Politico.
The outlets argue that the administration violated the First Amendment by retaliating against protected newsgathering and by restricting access based on the organizations’ perceived viewpoints.
They also allege a due-process violation because the credentials were revoked without prior notice or an opportunity to contest the decision. The dispute follows an earlier legal fight involving The Associated Press.
In 2025, a federal judge ruled that the White House could not exclude AP journalists from presidential press access because of their viewpoint, although an appeals court later paused that ruling while the administration pursued an appeal.
The three organizations are asking the court for immediate relief that would restore their hard-pass credentials and prevent further enforcement of the ban.
CNN was also removed from the White House travel-pool rotation for Trump’s planned trip to New York, according to the lawsuit.
The White House and Justice Department had not immediately responded to CNBC’s request for comment when the lawsuit was announced.
