US President Donald Trump has defended his decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO from the White House, saying the move is aimed at what he calls “fake news” rather than the free press. Trump made the remarks on Truth Social on Monday, days after the three news organisations announced a joint First Amendment lawsuit against his administration over the sudden withdrawal of press access for their journalists.
“The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish,” Trump wrote. “It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS, something that has grown like Cancer in our beloved United States of America.”
Responding to the lawsuit, which accuses the administration of interfering with independent journalism and threatening press freedom, Trump rejected the allegations. He instead described the outlets’ reporting as a national security concern.
“It is corrupt, purposeful, pervasive, fully coordinated, and totally out of control. It is a threat to our National Security, and must be stopped, NOW! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” he wrote.
Trump had announced the ban on Friday, accusing CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO of repeatedly publishing what he described as “FAKE NEWS”.
“I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW (who recently changed their name from MSNBC due to lack of viewership and credibility!), and Politico (The recipients of an illegal and ridiculous USD 8 Million Dollar subscription, an All Time Record, directly from the United States Government, under Crooked Joe Biden, in order to keep them ‘alive.’ Seems like corruption to me!) from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” Trump said in another Truth Social post.
He also warned that more media organisations could face similar restrictions.
“Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America. Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow,” he added.
The consequences of the decision became clear on Saturday when journalists from the three organisations were denied entry to the White House complex. Some reporters also had their press credentials confiscated.
CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO subsequently announced that they would take legal action, saying the administration had interfered with their constitutional rights.
“This morning, we notified the government that we are filing a lawsuit today to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes,” the organisations said in a joint statement.
The outlets said their journalists had been denied access without warning or due process after their reporting came under objection from the White House.
“Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting,” they said. “Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference.”
CNN reported that the emergency filing was due to be reviewed by a federal judge in the US District Court for Washington, with administration officials potentially facing hearings and legal arguments in the coming days. CNN has also said it will continue covering the US government despite the restrictions.
At the centre of the dispute is the White House television pool, a rotating arrangement involving five major networks. The pool provides shared footage of the President’s activities, including events and travel where the entire press corps cannot be present.
(With ANI inputs)
