The US Department of Justice has told a federal court that President Donald Trump has the authority to restrict journalists’ access to the White House, arguing that access is a privilege rather than a constitutional right.
The Justice Department made the argument in response to a lawsuit filed by CNN, MS NOW and Politico after Trump barred journalists from the three organisations from the White House grounds.
In its court filing, the department said the President could control reporters’ access to restricted areas, including the Oval Office, and argued that the administration had legitimate national security concerns.
The DOJ alleged that the affected outlets had published sensitive or classified information and failed to meet what the administration described as minimum standards of professionalism and decorum.
“Access to the White House is a privilege — not a right,” the department argued in its filing.
The administration also claimed that some of the reports published by the three organisations involved sensitive national security matters and that such reporting could divert government resources into investigating possible leaks and assessing security implications.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico have challenged the decision in court, arguing that the ban violates their First Amendment rights and amounts to retaliation over their reporting.
The three news organisations are seeking an order restoring their access while their broader legal challenge proceeds. A federal judge in Washington is scheduled to hear the case.
The Justice Department has also asked the court to reject the media organisations’ request for immediate restoration of their White House access.
