CNN drags President Donald Trump and Top Aides to Court Over Suspension Jim Acosta's Credentials

Jim Acosta VS Donald Trump

CNN filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against The Donald Trump administration  in DC District Court over the revocation of Jim Acosta's press credentials for White House Correspondent. Acosta’s questions and reporting has been a frequent target of criticism by President Donald Trump.

Trump erupted into anger earlier during a news conference when Acosta questioned him about the so-called migrant caravan travelling through Mexico and about an ongoing investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. "That’s enough, that’s enough, ’’said the President of The United States of America on November 7, as a White House intern attempted to take the microphone off Acosta. “You are a rude, terrible person.’’

The White House suspended his credentials later that day, with press secretary Sarah Sanders accusing Acosta of putting his hands on the intern, who was trying to take the microphone from him. She described his actions as “absolutely unacceptable.’’

CNN has approached the court to filed a lawsuit against President Trump and several of his aides, seeking the immediate restoration of chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta's credentials to the White House.

CNN in its statement said. "It demands the return of the White House credentials of CNN's Chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta. The wrongful revocation of these credentials violates CNN and Acosta's First Amendment rights of freedom of the press, and their Fifth Amendment rights to due process. We have asked this court for an immediate restraining order requiring the pass be returned to Jim, and will seek permanent relief as part of this process."

CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker said in an internal memo to staff "This is not a step we have taken lightly. But the White House action is unprecedented," 

It is a common knowledge that the Republican president has steadily intensified his criticism of the media, with CNN remaining a major target.

Press Secretary Sarah Sanders responded to the suit by saying that CNN is "grandstanding" by suing. She said that Donald Trump's administration will "vigorously defend" itself.

In the interim, CNN said in a statement on Tuesday that, it is seeking a preliminary injunction so that Acosta can return to the White House right away, and a ruling from the court preventing the White House from revoking Acosta's pass in the future.

Over the weekend, Acosta reported on the president's planned trip to France, ahead of Trump's visit to an American military cemetery, he requested and received a credential from the French government, but was denied access by the Secret Service.

CNN Washington bureau chief Sam Feist noted in a declaration attached to the lawsuit that, "It was not without irony to me that a U.S. White House correspondent who is an American citizen was denied access to a ceremony by his own government but was granted access by the government of France."

The White House Correspondents' Association said it "strongly supports CNN's goal of seeing their correspondent regain a US Secret Service security credential that the White House should not have taken away in the first place."

"While the suit is specific to CNN and Acosta, this could have happened to anyone," the network said. "If left unchallenged, the actions of the White House would create a dangerous chilling effect for any journalist who covers our elected officials."