US DOJ defends White House media ban in court filing

White House press credentials First Amendment media restrictions Department of Justice national security

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a legal response defending the Trump administration's decision to revoke the White House press credentials of CNN, MS NOW, and Politico. In a court filing, the DOJ argued that access to the White House is a privilege rather than a constitutional right and that the President maintains the authority to control access to restricted areas, such as the Oval Office.

The administration contends that the media outlets published sensitive or classified information regarding topics including the Iran war and White House construction, which allegedly jeopardized national security. The DOJ further asserted that the restrictions were not retaliatory and that the outlets failed to maintain required standards of professionalism and decorum.

The three news organizations have filed a lawsuit against the administration, alleging that the ban violates their First Amendment rights to report without government punishment and their Fifth Amendment rights to due process. A federal court in Washington, D.C., is scheduled to hold an emergency session to consider the outlets' request for a temporary restraining order to restore their access.

Entities

CNN · Department of Justice · Donald Trump · MS NOW · Politico · White House

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 4 SOURCES] The government argues the media restrictions were not retaliatory and would have been applied regardless of the outlets' criticism. kalingatv.com · newsable.asianetnews.com · www.europesays.com · www.npr.org
[● 3 SOURCES] The three media organizations filed a lawsuit alleging the administration violated their First and Fifth Amendment rights. www.europesays.com · www.npr.org · sentinelcolorado.com
[● 7 SOURCES] The DOJ claims the media outlets published sensitive or classified information that jeopardized national security. www.europesays.com · www.npr.org · www.insider.gr · kalingatv.com · newsable.asianetnews.com · +2 more
[● 6 SOURCES] The DOJ contends the President has the authority to control access to restricted areas like the Oval Office. www.insider.gr · kalingatv.com · newsable.asianetnews.com · www.news.gr · sapo.pt · +1 more
[● 6 SOURCES] The DOJ argued that White House access is a privilege rather than a constitutional right. www.europesays.com · www.npr.org · www.insider.gr · kalingatv.com · newsable.asianetnews.com · +1 more