Trump Defends Press Restrictions by Calling 'Fake News' a 'Cancer' That Threatens National Security

Donald Trump has defended his decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House by declaring what he calls 'fake news' a 'cancer' and a threat to US national security, as the three outlets take his administration to court.

'The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish,' Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday. 'It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS.'

Trump described critical media coverage as 'corrupt, purposeful, pervasive, fully coordinated, and totally out of control.'

'It is a threat to our National Security, and must be stopped, NOW!' Reuters noted that the president provided no evidence for the national-security claim.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico Sue White House

Trump announced on Friday that he was banning the three organisations because of reporting he considered 'fake news' and unfavourable to his administration. He also suggested other outlets could eventually face similar restrictions.

By Saturday, CNN reporter Betsy Klein, MS NOW correspondent Akayla Gardner and Politico reporter Cheyenne Haslett had been denied entry to the White House after their credentials were deactivated or confiscated.

The outlets responded Monday with a joint lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, seeking a temporary restraining order restoring their access.

'Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists' credentials because it objected to our reporting,' they said.

The organisations argue that excluding journalists because the president dislikes their coverage amounts to unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination and violates both the First Amendment and due-process protections.

Trump Says He Does Not Have To Admit Critical Reporters

Trump has explicitly linked the restrictions to coverage he considers negative. Speaking in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump said no single incident drove the decision and complained generally about reporting from the three outlets.

'It's sick. I mean, there's something wrong with a country that can allow people to write purposely negative stuff,' Trump said. 'Now, if they want to write them, that's fine. But I don't have to let them into my, into the people's house.'

CNN was also removed Monday from its scheduled television pool duties, which would have included travelling with Trump to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

Previous Press Bans Have Faced Court Challenges

The case adds to a series of legal battles over White House press access. During Trump's first term, federal judges ordered the restoration of credentials belonging to then-CNN correspondent Jim Acosta and Playboy reporter Brian Karem after the administration suspended their access.

The Associated Press is also pursuing litigation over restrictions imposed during Trump's second term after it declined to adopt the president's preferred terminology for the Gulf of Mexico.

The White House Correspondents' Association has called for the latest restrictions to be reversed, warning that a standard allowing an administration to exclude outlets over unwanted coverage could eventually be applied more broadly.

Trump, however, insists he is defending rather than attacking press freedom — drawing a distinction between a 'Free Press' and media organisations whose reporting he labels 'fake news'.