WASHINGTON (AURN News) — CNN, MS NOW and Politico are suing President Donald Trump and senior administration officials, asking a federal judge to restore their reporters’ access to the White House.
The lawsuit cites Trump’s own remarks about the ban, including his reference to “cumulative stories over the last two years” and his description of it as “a very simple ban” on the free press.
The lawsuit raises constitutional questions that federal courts have already addressed in previous disputes over White House press access.
In 2020, a federal appeals court upheld an injunction against the suspension of a reporter’s White House press credentials, finding that he was likely to succeed on a due process claim because he lacked fair notice that his conduct could lead to a monthlong suspension. In a separate case involving The Associated Press, a federal judge appointed by Trump found that restricting the news organization’s access based on its editorial choices raised First Amendment concerns over viewpoint discrimination.
The White House has argued in previous press-access cases that the president has broad discretion over who can attend certain events, but courts have also recognized constitutional limits on excluding journalists based on viewpoint or without due process.
The lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal battles involving the Trump administration and news organizations. NPR separately sued over Trump’s May 2025 executive order directing federal agencies to cut funding for NPR and PBS. A federal judge later permanently blocked the order on First Amendment grounds.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @ebonymcmorris & @aurnonline.
