Three major American news outlets have had their White House press passes revoked after President Trump accused them of publishing "fiction and lies" about his administration.
 

A White House press briefing | Source: HowStuffWorks
 

CNN, MS NOW (formerly known as MSNBC) and Politico reporters all attended the White House as normal on Saturday, 19th September, to be told by various White House staff or Secret Service officials their passes had been deactivated. "The officer asked me to hand over my badge. He said that it was disabled. I asked why I was not able to get inside. He said it was above him." This is how MS NOW reporter Akayla Gardener described her arrival at the White House on Saturday. Despite reporters for the three associations no longer being able to gain access, producers from MS NOW have still been able to enter on their passes.

Secret Service at the White House | Source: AP

The move to withdraw these passes has sparked wide criticism in the US, with many seeing it as a breach of constitutional First Amendment rights. CNN have said, "We have a right under the US Constitution to do our reporting without hindrance or interference from the government, and this ban is an illegal assault on this fundamental right.". "The implications extend beyond these organisations: a standard used to exclude one news outlet because of its coverage could be applied to any outlet in the future. That's why courts have repeatedly held that once the White House provides access to journalists, it cannot deny that access arbitrarily or based on the content of their reporting," said White House Correspondents Association President Jacqui Heinrich, who works for Fox News.