Trump defends barring CNN, MS Now and Politico from White House

'We are not attacking freedom of the press — we are attacking fake news'

Three outlets file joint lawsuit citing First Amendment violations

Courts asked to suspend ban pending full ruling

US President Donald Trump speaks during an "End of Summer Barbecue" event with Republican lawmakers in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 2 (local time). [EPA]
US President Donald Trump speaks during an "End of Summer Barbecue" event with Republican lawmakers in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 2 (local time). [EPA]

US President Donald Trump defended his decision to bar three news outlets — CNN, MS Now and Politico — from the White House, saying "fake news" has spread "like a cancer" across America. The outlets responded by filing a joint lawsuit, arguing the administration stripped their press credentials in retaliation for coverage it disliked.

According to the Associated Press and other outlets, Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social on Monday (local time): "The White House is not attacking freedom of the press, which I cherish. What we are attacking is fake news."

Trump described fake news as having "spread like a cancer in America," calling it "corrupt, deliberate, organized and totally out of control."

He added that it "must be stopped right now" because it poses a threat to national security, though he offered no specific evidence of how any of the three outlets' reporting had endangered national security.

The remarks came as controversy mounted over the White House's decision to ban CNN, MS Now and Politico from its premises.

Trump barred the three outlets Friday, accusing them of repeatedly publishing "fake news." Reporters from the organizations were turned away from the White House over the weekend, and some journalists had their credentials suspended or revoked without prior notice or any opportunity to respond.

The outlets moved quickly to court. CNN, MS Now and Politico filed a joint lawsuit Monday against the Trump administration in federal court in Washington, D.C.

The three outlets argued that revoking their access because of coverage the administration found unfavorable or objectionable violated the First Amendment's guarantees of press freedom and free expression. They also contended that the suspension and revocation of credentials without proper process violated the due process clause.

In a joint statement, the outlets said "the government cannot decide what the press covers and publishes" and urged the White House to restore their access immediately. They also asked the court to issue a temporary restraining order suspending the ban while the case proceeds.

Trump's clashes with the press date back to his first term. He has repeatedly branded critical coverage as "fake news," but this time he went further — restricting actual White House access — moving the battle over press freedom into the courts.


sjy@heraldcorp.com