Trump denies ‘instituting an assault on the free press’

President Trump on Monday denied he is “instituting an assault” on the press after three outlets he recently banned from covering the White House announced plans to sue the administration over the move.

“The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish,” Trump wrote on Truth Social , arguing that it is instead “instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS.”

“It is corrupt, purposeful, pervasive, fully coordinated, and totally out of control. It is a threat to our National Security, and must be stopped, NOW!” he continued.

The defense comes days after the president barred CNN, MSNOW, and Politico from the White House over their coverage, which he argued lacked credibility. The outlets threatened legal action in response.

“This morning, we notified the government that we are filing a lawsuit today to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes,” the companies said in a joint statement.

“Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting,” the statement continued. “Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference.”

On Saturday, journalists from the three outlets were denied entry to White House grounds and had their passes confiscated.

The ban has drawn backlash from both sides of the aisle, with critics arguing it constitutes a violation of the First Amendment.