Could this sudden revocation of press badges redefine the legal boundaries of First Amendment rights on government property?

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Probably not in the sense of expanding presidential power; if anything, this case is more likely to reaffirm and sharpen existing limits on excluding journalists from government-controlled spaces once a credentialing system exists. The strongest precedents cut against the White House. In *Sherrill v. Knight* (1977), the D.C. Circuit held that White House press-pass decisions cannot be arbitrary and must follow narrow standards and fair procedures. In the 2018 Jim Acosta dispute, a federal judge in Washington ordered CNN’s access restored after finding due-process problems. Those cases do not make White House access absolute, but they do say the government cannot revoke it without notice, a reasoned basis, and an opportunity to respond. That is why this dispute matters. The administration appears to be arguing that White House access is a privilege, especially on restricted government property. Courts have recognized the government has more control in such nonpublic forums than on a public sidewalk or park. But even there, officials generally cannot engage in viewpoint discrimination. Trump’s own statements criticizing “fake news” and unfavorable coverage could become key evidence that the revocations were retaliatory rather than based on security or neutral logistics. So the case could redefine the boundaries only at the margins: it may clarify how much discretion the executive has over press access to high-security government property, and what process is constitutionally r…

Trump Bans 3 News Outlets From White House as Constitutional Questions Mount

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Trump Bans 3 News Outlets From White House as Constitutional Questions Mount

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