In an explosive showdown that has shaken Washington to its core, three of America’s biggest news powerhouses have declared war on the White House.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico on Monday slammed President Donald Trump with a federal lawsuit, accusing him of trampling on the U.S. Constitution after he ordered them banned from White House grounds.
The outlets are demanding an emergency court order to overturn the ban, with a temporary restraining order hearing expected as early as this week.
“An Assault On The Free Press”
The drama erupted Friday when Trump, in a blistering Truth Social post, announced a blanket ban on the three organizations. By Saturday, their reporters were turned away at the gates and had their press credentials seized.
Forced into exile, journalists were seen filing reports from across the street.
“Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference,” the outlets fired back in a joint statement. “The government does not decide what the press reports or publishes.”
Trump Doubles Down: “FAKE NEWS Is A National Security Threat”
Unmoved, Trump doubled down Monday morning.
“The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish. It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS,” he wrote. “It is a threat to our National Security, and must be stopped, NOW!”
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No specific incident triggered the ban, Trump admitted in the Oval Office, but warned more outlets could be next, naming The New York Times and Washington Post as “fake news.”
TV Pool Goes Dark
The fallout was immediate and unprecedented.
CNN, a member of the elite five-network White House TV pool, was scheduled to cover Trump’s trip to the UN General Assembly on Monday but could not provide the feed.
In a stunning act of solidarity, Fox News, ABC, CBS and NBC have now suspended all presidential pool coverage.
“This follows the White House’s position preventing CNN from fulfilling its assigned pool duties. There will be no replacement pool put in place,” said Fox News Washington Bureau Chief Bryan Boughton, the current TV pool chair.
The move effectively blacks out the most important video source for White House events.
The Associated Press and White House Correspondents’ Association have condemned the ban, calling it a direct attack on free speech.
