Six Americans sued President Donald Trump on Monday, arguing that his administration’s restrictions on White House press access violate the public’s First Amendment right to independent reporting on the government.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New York by Columbia University’s Knight First Amendment Institute and Yale Law School’s Media Freedom & Information Access Clinic, challenges the policy of excluding news organizations over coverage the president considers false or unfavorable. It seeks protections for the entire press corps, saying the threat of lost access discourages critical reporting.
“The First Amendment protects the public’s right to know what its government is doing,” said Katie Fallow of the Knight Institute. “The White House cannot decide what information Americans receive by punishing critical reporting.”
A White House official said journalists are not entitled to Oval Office access and can report from outside. The suit follows the barring of CNN, MS NOW and Politico; a judge ordered their access restored on Oct. 13 while their separate case proceeds. Plaintiffs include journalists, academics, a teacher and a student who rely on independent White House coverage.