CNN correspondents were stunned Wednesday as the Trump administration offered a new national security argument for banning three news organizations from the White House.
Crime and justice correspondent Katelyn Polantz reported that Justice Department attorney Michael Velchik argued that publishing information known to be classified could cost a news organization its White House access.
“This is an extreme argument that we have not heard in any other case before over White House press passes — never,” Polantz said.
She noted that Trump initially described the ban as a response to coverage he deemed unfavorable, while the administration’s court filing focused on national security.
“That is an astonishing amount of argument about national security in a case that had not been about this until midnight of last night,” Polantz said. “This had been a case that was firmly about constitutional protections of due process and the First Amendment.”
CNN White House correspondent Kristen Holmes called the administration’s courtroom position a “complete reversal” from what officials had previously said about reporting involving classified information.
“They're like, ‘No, no, no, it’s not about the reporters. It’s not about the reporting. It’s just about the sources leaking this kind of information. That's what we're upset about,’” Holmes said. “They are clearly now saying something completely different when they are in court, as they try to use this as their argument for the ban.”
CNN, MS NOW and Politico are asking a federal judge to restore their White House access, alleging that Trump’s ban violates their First Amendment and due process rights.