Six citizens challenge Trump, three aides over White House media restrictions and seek restored access
Citizens bring a public-interest case
The six plaintiffs say independent and diverse White House reporting is important to their work in teaching, journalism or advocacy. They include a human rights advocate, political journalist, Yale history professor, high school civics teacher, legal journalist and University of Pennsylvania student journalist.
The Knight First Amendment Institute filed the suit with Yale Law School’s Media Freedom & Information Access Clinic. The complaint says restrictions on news organizations also limit the public’s access to their reporting.
Aides and broader protections named
The defendants are Trump, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung and Secret Service Director Sean M. Curran. The suit seeks reinstatement of access already affected, as well as an injunction protecting news outlets from retaliation over White House coverage.
Knight Institute deputy litigation director Katie Fallow said the public’s right to know what government is doing is protected by the First Amendment. She argued that expelling reporters over their coverage harms both the press and the public.
Other media cases continue
The complaint describes ongoing court fights involving news organizations targeted by the administration. CNN, MS NOW and Politico are pursuing a separate lawsuit after their journalists were barred from the White House in September.
The Associated Press also has a continuing legal case. Its reporters were barred last year from the Oval Office, Air Force One and some events after the outlet did not adopt Trump’s preferred name, Gulf of America, for the Gulf of Mexico.
Plaintiffs describe reliance on reporting
Among the named plaintiffs are media and political journalist Daniel Froomkin, New York City social studies teacher Peter Schmidt-Nowara and Ethan Young, editor-in-chief of The Daily Pennsylvanian. Young says he depends on independent White House reporters because he cannot personally access White House press spaces.
Young said he joined the lawsuit because his students should know what is happening in government and hear from a free and independent press. Schmidt-Nowara considers White House reporting essential to his work as an educator.
Key points
- Six citizens filed the case Monday in federal court in New York.
- The plaintiffs say they rely on independent White House reporting for their work.
- The suit seeks restored media access and protection against retaliation.
- The defendants include Trump, Susie Wiles, Steven Cheung and Sean M. Curran.