Journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico have been turned away from the White House one day after President Donald Trump announced that those news outlets would be barred.
CBS News reported on Saturday that an MS NOW correspondent and cameraman were denied entry. Both had their hard press passes revoked.
MS NOW correspondent Akayla Gardner said she was told her pass had been disabled when she tried to enter. When she asked why, a security guard told her the matter was above him.
CNN reporter Betsy Klein and a cameraman were also seen trying to enter the White House grounds. They eventually left without their badges.
CNN said its "mission to report on the US government will continue regardless of any attempts to restrict physical access to the White House and other government buildings, or any other attempts to impede our journalism."
"We will not be deflected from our duty to hold the government and other public bodies to account, and we will continue to report on the actions and processes of this administration without fear or favour," the news network added.
"CNN stands fully behind our White House team."
First Amendment rights
MS NOW said it "intends to take any steps necessary to defend our First Amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalism in our democracy," referring to the US Constitution's guarantee of a free press.
"The White House belongs to the American people, and the decisions made inside are funded by our tax dollars," the network added.
Politico journalists also said they were turned away from the White House shortly after MS NOW and CNN.
Politico’s communications team disputed his claim that the publication “received government subsidies", saying the allegation had been "thoroughly debunked".
“Politico will continue to fairly report on this White House and future ones. We will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights against any attempt to restrict them,” an online post said.
Jacqui Heinrich, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, said the group "stands in defence of our colleagues at CNN, MS NOW, and Politico who are being singled out for doing their jobs."
Trump defended the restrictions by saying he was "tired of reading and seeing fake news" from the outlets and said he dislikes "dishonest press". He did not identify specific stories.
CBS News legal contributor Jessica Levinson said the ban "smacks of content-based discrimination".
"That's the primary thing that the First Amendment guards against," she said.
