Trump's war on the media, Part Two…

The media outlets, which are “at war” with Trump, argue that the president’s decision is unconstitutional and constitutes a violation of press freedom.

Lawyers representing the three media organizations filed a request with U.S. District Judge Tim Kelly, who last week ordered the White House to reinstate press credentials for their journalists after they were denied access to the White House complex earlier this month, CNN reports.

The media organizations claim that the administration continued to restrict their work even after the court’s ruling, arguing that the White House’s actions indicate that the purpose of the ban is to punish the media for their reporting.

As an example, they cite the decision to exclude CNN from the press pool that accompanied Trump during his trip to Tennessee on Saturday.

Kelly had previously rejected the administration’s justification that the ban was imposed for national security reasons, while leaving open the possibility of considering additional evidence on the matter.

The media outlets, however, point to public statements by Trump and other officials which, they argue, indicate that the ban is connected to the way they report on the president and his administration.

On September 18, Trump announced that he was banning those media outlets from access, citing their “continued reporting of fake news.”

The White House subsequently pointed to reports about the war in Iran, the construction of a ballroom in the East Wing of the White House, and other topics, arguing that some reports had jeopardized national security or contained false information.

Kelly’s order temporarily restored the media outlets’ access for two weeks, and their press credentials were reactivated on Thursday.

His order expires on October 8.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico are now seeking a preliminary injunction that would allow them to retain access to the White House while the legal proceedings are underway.

They are also invoking the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which protects freedom of the press, as well as the right to due process.

The White House has until Friday to respond to their request, while the media organizations are expected to file their final written submission next Monday.

Kelly has scheduled a hearing and said he plans to issue a decision quickly.