A Politico story about bad “vibes” is among the pieces of coverage the Trump administration cited in its decision to bar three major news outlets from the White House.
President Donald Trump’s Justice Department pointed to the Politico report on the mood at the Republican Midterm Convention as an example of coverage it factored into its decision to ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.
The three organizations have since filed a lawsuit seeking to regain access.
As part of the legal battle, the administration sent unsigned letters to each outlet laying out its justification for the ban. The letter to Politico cited a Sept. 9 story headlined, “‘The vibes are very bad’ in Texas.”
According to the filing, the outlets have until Friday to contest the administration’s argument.
The vibes story was not the only coverage the administration flagged. Other stories from the three outlets that apparently drew objections included reporting on the war with Iran and on the United States’ dwindling munitions.
The administration also cited coverage of an investigation into a leak connected to controversial stories about FBI Director Kash Patel, as well as a Politico story that included a Secret Service handout to Senate Republicans.
At the heart of the case is a longstanding legal precedent. The Justice Department is hoping Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly will overturn the nearly 50-year-old ruling in Sherrill v. Knight, which established that the press cannot be banned from the White House based on its reporting.
The administration laid out its position in a recent legal filing.
“The President determined that Plaintiffs have failed to maintain minimum professional journalistic standards by publishing classified and national security information,” the filing stated.
Attorneys for the outlets pushed back hard. A lawyer representing the organizations blasted the Justice Department’s position as “exceptionally weak.”
A hearing in the case is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
“We look forward to the hearing,” attorney Ted Boutrous told Politico.
The dispute has rippled across the broader White House press corps. The ban sparked a boycott by several major news networks.
On Monday, Fox News, ABC News, CBS News, CNN and NBC News joined together and pulled their television cameras from the White House pool.
The coordinated move by the networks marked a significant show of solidarity among outlets that often compete fiercely for stories and viewers.
The case now puts the administration’s argument squarely before a federal judge. The Justice Department contends the president acted within his authority after determining the outlets published classified and national security information. The outlets, meanwhile, argue the government’s case does not hold up.
With the outlets facing a Friday deadline to respond and a hearing set for Wednesday, the legal fight over press access to the White House is moving quickly.
The outcome could carry major implications. If Judge Kelly sides with the administration and overturns Sherrill v. Knight, it would upend a legal standard that has governed White House press access for nearly five decades.
For now, CNN, MS NOW and Politico remain barred from the White House as the court battle plays out.
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