Three major American media organisations have filed a lawsuit against the administration of United States President Donald Trump over a ban on their journalists from the White House.
The plaintiffs are CNN,
MS NOW, formerly known as MSNBC and Politico.
The media groups took the legal action after their reporters were barred from accessing the White House complex and their press passes were withdrawn. The lawsuit was filed at a federal court in Washington D.C., challenging the decision of the White House.
In the suit, the organisations are asking the court to restore their access to the White House and nullify the ban.
President Trump had earlier accused the three outlets of publishing what he described as “fiction and lies” about him, his administration and the United States.
He alleged that the organisations had repeatedly misrepresented his government’s policies and actions. The White House had announced the withdrawal of accreditation for correspondents of the affected media houses.
The development has sparked fresh debate about press freedom in the United States, But the media groups insist that the move violates their First Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution.
They argue that the First Amendment guarantees freedom of the press and prohibits government actions that punish media organisations for their coverage.
According to the plaintiffs, barring journalists from the White House because of their reporting amounts to retaliation and censorship.
CNN, in a statement, said the ban was an attempt to intimidate the press and restrict independent journalism.
MS NOW also said its journalists were carrying out their constitutional duty of holding power to account and should not be penalized for doing so. Politico said the action threatens press freedom and the public’s right to know.
The organisations said White House press access is crucial for informing the American public about the activities of the presidency.
They warned that allowing the ban to stand would set a dangerous precedent for future administrations. The White House is yet to file a formal response to the lawsuit as of press time.
However, officials of the Trump administration have previously defended the president’s right to determine who has access to the White House.
Legal experts say the case could become a major test of the balance between executive authority and constitutional press protections in the U.S. The court is expected to fix a date for hearing in the coming days.
