Citizens Sue Trump Over White House Media Ban

Six Americans have sued President Donald Trump and senior aides in federal court in Manhattan, arguing that efforts to restrict White House access for journalists from outlets including CNN, Politico and MS NOW violate the public’s First Amendment right to receive independent reporting. The lawsuit, filed by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University and Yale Law School’s Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic, centers on news consumers rather than journalists or media organizations. The plaintiffs—a human rights advocate, journalists, a historian and a civics teacher—say they rely on diverse White House coverage for their work and that punishing critical reporting deprives the public of information about the executive branch.