Washington [US], September 23: Three US news organizations - CNN, MSNBC and Politico - plan to sue US President Donald Trump over his decision to bar them from the White House, the outlets said in a joint statement on Monday.
If left unchallenged, the ban "threatens press freedom and the public's right to independent journalism free from government interference," the trio argued.
The government was informed that the lawsuit would be filed on Monday, they added. The aim was to "defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes."
Trump said on Friday that the three media organizations were banned from the White House with immediate effect, accusing them of spreading fake news.
Critics see the move as an attempt at intimidation and an attack on press freedom. What exactly prompted Trump's announcement remained unclear.
On Saturday, journalists from all three outlets were denied access to the White House grounds, the media organizations said.
Source: Qatar Tribune
