CNN, MS NOW and Politico to take major move against Trump's White House ban
CNN, Politico, and MS NOW have announced their decision to pursue legal action against the Trump administration following their exclusion from White House premises.
MS NOW, CNN, and Politico are taking legal action against the Trump administration for being denied entry to the White House. (REUTERS)These three prominent American news organizations were prohibited from accessing the facility by presidential directive. On Friday, President Donald Trump declared the ban, asserting that the three entities had disseminated "fiction or lies" regarding his administration.
According to the organizations' statements, their journalists were prevented from entering the building and had their credentials confiscated during an attempted access on Saturday.
In a coordinated statement released on Monday, the parties said they were initiating legal proceedings to "protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes".
The First Amendment prohibits governmental entities from "abridging" the freedom of the press—terminology that judicial bodies have conventionally understood as preventing governmental interference with media organizations based on the substance of their editorial decisions.
"Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists' credentials because it objected to our reporting," the CNN, Politico and MS NOW statement continued.
"Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public's right to independent journalism free from government interference."
The confrontation represents one of the administration's most prominent assaults on journalistic freedom thus far, carrying consequences that transcend the three prohibited media organizations. During his announcement of the prohibition last Friday, Trump expressed his intention to potentially expand the roster of excluded outlets.
Correspondents from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico have been denied access to their offices within the White House premises. Furthermore, CNN and MS NOW have been restricted from utilizing their broadcast apparatus and camera facilities located on the grounds.
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More
