ASN NEWS USA — SPECIAL REPORT

WASHINGTON (ASN NEWS USA)— The press versus the President is headed back to court — and this fight cuts to the bone of the First Amendment.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico asked a federal judge late Monday to extend the block on President Donald Trump’s effort to ban the outlets from the White House over coverage he doesn’t like. The outlets want a preliminary injunction preserving their access while they fight the case to a final ruling.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly already issued a 14-day temporary restraining order against the bans, finding they likely violated the outlets’ rights to fair legal treatment. The outlets argue in their September 21 lawsuit that the bans amount to unlawful viewpoint discrimination under the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech and a free press.

The Justice Department counters that Trump lawfully banned the outlets after determining their coverage threatened national security by revealing classified information. Trump himself announced the bans in a September 18 social media post, accusing the outlets of “reporting FAKE NEWS” and writing “FICTION and LIES.”

This is not the first rodeo — Trump has repeatedly clashed with the press in his second term, personally suing outlets including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and BBC for defamation. But a sitting president banning news organizations from the White House for unfavorable coverage raises questions the courts have rarely had to answer.

The judge’s next ruling could set the tone for press freedom for years to come.

Stay tuned to ASN News USA for updates on this developing story.

Reported by ASN News USA. Visit asnnewsusa.com or follow @ASNNewsUSA for updates.

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