The plaintiffs filed a motion on Monday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration's ban that bars their reporters from White House grounds and the White House television pool. The ban, imposed in early March, was justified by the White House as a response to a series of critical reports, but the outlets argue it violates the First Amendment and due process.
A temporary restraining order issued by a judge last month blocked the ban, but the order is set to expire this week. The plaintiffs argue that without the injunction, the White House could immediately reinstate a full ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, causing irreparable harm to press freedom and public access to information.
Lead attorney Theodore J. Boutrous said, "This is a blatant retaliation against reporting the administration dislikes, a clear case of viewpoint discrimination." He added that the ban is an unlawful assault on fundamental rights.
The Trump administration has not issued a public statement on the motion, but the White House spokesperson noted that the ban remains in effect pending the court’s ruling. The court is expected to schedule a hearing within the next two weeks, after which a decision on the injunction will be announced.