In a new development, the U.S. Justice Department has thrown its legal weight behind President Donald Trump’s decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, setting the stage for a major court battle over presidential authority and press access.
In a filing submitted Tuesday, government lawyers argued that access to the White House complex is a privilege rather than a constitutional entitlement, maintaining that the president has broad authority to determine which journalists can enter restricted presidential spaces.
The filing comes as the three news organisations seek an immediate court order restoring their access. Their lawsuit argues that the ban violates First Amendment protections and due-process rights after reporters were denied entry and had their credentials revoked on Saturday.
The administration has cited concerns over the publication of sensitive information and national security in defending the restrictions. Among the issues raised was reporting by CNN on construction plans involving a subterranean facility beneath the White House’s East Wing ballroom.
The dispute has intensified a broader confrontation between the Trump administration and sections of the American media, with press-freedom organisations challenging the restrictions and the affected outlets seeking judicial intervention.
A federal judge is scheduled to hear arguments Wednesday on whether the White House can continue excluding the three organisations from presidential premises while the wider legal challenge proceeds.
