President Trump said he is barring CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House press access, marking a sharp escalation in the administration’s running dispute with major news organizations over coverage the president has repeatedly characterized as unfair. The move would restrict credentialed reporters from those outlets from briefings and other White House events.

News organizations and press freedom advocates have pushed back strongly against restrictions of this kind, arguing that access to the White House press corps should not turn on a president’s satisfaction with an outlet’s coverage. Previous attempts by the administration to limit access for individual reporters have drawn legal challenges on First Amendment grounds.

The affected outlets have said they intend to continue covering the administration through other means, including public appearances, official documents and other sourcing not dependent on White House credentials. Media law experts note that courts have historically been skeptical of viewpoint-based access restrictions.