Six Americans sue Trump over WH press restrictions, citing public's right to independent news

Six American citizens have filed a federal lawsuit against President Donald Trump over the White House administration's decision to limit access for journalists from major news outlets, including CNN and Politico. The lawsuit, called Roth v. Trump, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on 26 October 2026. The case was brought by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University and the Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic at Yale Law School. It takes a different legal approach by focusing on the constitutional rights of people who read and watch the news, rather than the rights of journalists alone. The lawsuit follows earlier court rulings that blocked similar efforts to exclude journalists. It argues that the White House is trying to punish independent news outlets and is violating the public's First Amendment right to receive fair and independent reporting about federal government policies.Focusing on rights of ordinary citizensUnlike many legal cases brought directly by news organisations or individual reporters, this lawsuit was filed on behalf of six members of the public. The plaintiffs include a human rights advocate, a ...