Justice Department defends White House ban on CNN, Politico, MS NOW

The US Justice Department has accused CNN, Politico and MS NOW of "trafficking in verifiable falsehoods" and reporting that "threatened national security" in court documents defending the White House's ban on the outlets. A judge will decide Wednesday whether to temporarily lift the ban. The three outlets filed a joint lawsuit calling the credential revocation unconstitutional, citing First Amendment protections. The Justice Department's filing lists "reporting incidents" cited by the White House, including stories about a security bunker and a new ballroom, and argues that "access to the White House is a privilege, not a right." Forty-nine media organizations, including CBS News, The New York Times and Fox News, filed a brief supporting the lawsuit. Major TV networks withdrew from the White House pool, prompting the launch of "Trump TV," while President Trump continued attacking the outlets and CNN reporter Kaitlin Collins, calling them "treasonous."