The Justice Department is standing behind President Trump's decision to revoke press credentials for CNN, MSNBC, and Politico, telling a federal court that access to the White House complex is a "privilege" and that national security concerns justify the move.
In a late Tuesday filing, the administration asked U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly to deny the three news organizations' request for a temporary restraining order that would restore their access to White House grounds. The outlets filed suit Monday, arguing the ban violates their First Amendment rights and the principle that the government cannot dictate press coverage.
DOJ senior counsel Michael Velchik wrote that "access to the White House is a privilege — not a right," and cited what the administration called a failure by the outlets to meet "professionalism and decorum" standards and to protect sensitive or classified information.
The administration pointed to a prior ruling that allowed the White House to temporarily bar The Associated Press from certain spaces like the Oval Office because the news agency refused to adopt the term "Gulf of America" over "Gulf of Mexico." The DOJ argued that same logic should apply across the entire complex, and that the president should be able to "consider journalists' viewpoints" when granting access.
"There is no principled way of easily distinguishing between rooms that are a nonpublic forum and those that are no forum at all — particularly where the White House is not obligated to respond to any questions by reporters in the first place," the filing stated.
The White House sent separate letters to the three outlets, accusing them of "trafficking in verifiable falsehoods about national security and other issues, and publishing sensitive or classified information." The letters cited specific stories, including details about an East Wing bunker, Iran war negotiations, and Secret Service improvements in the White House ballroom renovations.
The outlets have until 5 p.m. EDT Friday to challenge the findings before the ban becomes final. Trump announced the ban Friday, calling the outlets' reporting "FICTION and LIES," and top aide Natalie Harp had reportedly shown him critical stories and clips from those networks.
Journalists from all three organizations were denied entry to White House grounds and had their credentials confiscated, disrupting TV coverage. CNN is part of the five-network White House television pool, and after CNN was unable to perform its Monday pool duties, the other networks suspended presidential pool coverage in solidarity. As a result, Trump's remarks at a South Lawn event Monday were not heard on the White House's own livestream because the pool was absent.
The case is scheduled for a hearing Wednesday afternoon, and Trump has not committed to abiding by the judge's ruling. The administration's stance has drawn sharp criticism from press freedom advocates, who see it as an escalation in the president's ongoing battle with mainstream media.
This legal fight comes amid broader tensions between the White House and the press, with Trump's approval ratings at historic lows and his administration facing multiple challenges over its policies. The outcome could set a precedent for how much power the executive branch has to limit press access.
