The outlets say the Trump administration kept enforcing the ban unevenly even after a judge issued a restraining order against it. Lawyers for the three organizations wrote in a filing late Monday that the White House had "persisted in unpredictably and inconsistently implementing its ban," pointing specifically to CNN getting shut out of White House pool duties.
The filing argues the administration will snap the ban right back into full force the moment it gets a chance. "The White House's words and actions leave little doubt that it will immediately reinstitute a complete ban of CNN, MS NOW, and POLITICO if allowed the opportunity," the lawyers wrote.
For the three newsrooms, this is about keeping reporters in the room where presidential news actually happens. Pool duty means being physically present for briefings, statements and access moments other outlets then rely on. Losing that spot, even temporarily or unevenly, cuts these organizations out of coverage their competitors get to keep.
The outlets call the ban a direct hit on First Amendment protections, warning the harm can't be undone once it happens. A restraining order already exists. The White House, according to the filing, just isn't following it consistently.