CNN, two others sues Trump over White House ban

CNN, MS NOW and Politico on Monday said they are suing President Donald Trump and other members of his administration over their ban from the White house.

The three news organizations said they have notified the government that they were filing their lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia and could see emergency hearings in the case as soon as this week.

According to them, they are suing president Trump to protect their rights under the US Constitution’s First Amendment.

“Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting. Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference,” they wrote in a joint statement.

The lawsuit aims “to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes,” they added.

The First Amendment protects the freedom of the press and speech.

Trump announced his decision on Friday in a social media post and on Monday, he defended the ban in another social media post after the lawsuit was announced, calling the news media a security threat, without providing any evidence.

“The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish. It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS,” Trump wrote. “It is corrupt, purposeful, pervasive, fully coordinated, and totally out of control. It is a threat to our National Security, and must be stopped, NOW!”

CNN were scheduled to cover a White House events on Monday for the broader press corps, including Trump’s trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. 

“The ban is unconstitutional and should be immediately restrained,” the news outlets said in a copy of their lawsuit, adding that the ban was already impeding coverage that could have wider impact.

“The ban inflicts an injury on all news media organizations — who now risk a similar fate if they engage in reporting the President deems insufficiently favorable,” the three wrote in their complaint, which seeks a temporary restraining order to block Trump’s action.