On Wednesday, a United States District Court judge will decide whether the White House can lift a ban President Donald Trump imposed on three media outlets – CNN, Politico and MS NOW – which were barred after accusations of "fake news."
The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit that alleges the outlets have been "engaged in trafficking in verifiable falsehoods" and that their reporting has "threatened national security." The filing cites a number of stories about White House construction, including a new ballroom and a security bunker, and a report about an internal leak investigation.
The government argues access to the White House is a privilege, not a right, and claims the outlets should have been allowed to prepare their coverage. The three outlets, arguing that their First Amendment rights are being violated, jointly sued the administration, claiming the ban was unconstitutional and threatened press freedom.
In the interim, major broadcasters have withdrawn from the White House’s pool of video and image content as a protest, while the administration has launched its own 24‑hour channel, "Trump TV." The case, set to be heard in full later this month, sits at the intersection of media access and government policy.
