New Actor: DOJ files defense of Trump media ban in court

The Justice Department filed a late Tuesday response urging a federal judge to deny CNN, MS NOW and Politico’s bid to restore White House access. It argued the ban is lawful, citing national security risks and alleged false reporting by the outlets. A hearing on the emergency request is set for Wednesday afternoon before U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly.

The filing attached White House letters dated Sept. 22 accusing the outlets of publishing sensitive or classified information and failing basic standards of professionalism. The letters gave the outlets until Friday, Sept. 25, at 5 p.m. to contest the revocation, which the administration described as preliminary. The government also framed White House access as a discretionary privilege rather than a right.

Examples cited included stories about construction at the White House, with descriptions varying between a new ballroom and an East Wing bunker, and reports that U.S. munitions were depleted during the war with Iran. The letters also disputed Politico’s coverage of the GOP midterm convention and reporting on the administration’s approach to Russia sanctions. The government further asked the court to revisit past decisions on how the First Amendment applies to press access to the White House grounds.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources