Trump Hit With New Lawsuit Over White House Press Restrictions

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 about 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 administration’s policy of excluding news organizations over coverage Trump considers false or unfavorable. Unlike earlier lawsuits brought by individual media outlets, the new case seeks protections for the entire White House press corps, arguing that the threat of losing access discourages journalists from reporting critically on the president. “The First Amendment protects the public’s right to know what its government is doing,” Katie Fallow, deputy litigation director at the Knight Institute, said in a statement. “The White House cannot decide what information Americans receive by punishing critical reporting.” In response to TheWrap’s request for comment, a White House official defended the administration’s restrictions, saying journalists are not entitled to access to the Oval Office. “No person may demand access to the Oval Office,” the official said, adding that news organizations accused of spreading misinformation and defamation can still report from outside. The lawsuit follows the administration’s decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House press facilities. A federal judge blocked the exclusion of the three outlets on Oct. 13, requiring the administration to maintain their access while their lawsuit proceeds. But the dispute has continued, with CNN threatening further legal action after being denied opportunities to participate in presidential press-pool coverage. Monday’s complaint goes further, asking the court to declare viewpoint-based restrictions on press access unconstitutional and prohibit the administration from enforcing them. The plaintiffs argue that the policy affects not only journalists who have been excluded but also those who remain credentialed and must consider whether critical reporting could cost them access. The six plaintiffs include human rights advocate Kenneth Roth, journalist Daniel Froomkin, Yale historian Beverly Gage, New York City high school teacher Peter Schmidt-Nowara, Lawfare editor Benjamin Wittes and University of Pennsylvania student journalist Ethan Young. All say they rely on independent White House reporting for their professional or educational work. The suit also names White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, communications director Steven Cheung and Secret Service director Sean Curran as defendants.