Live updates: Media outlets and Trump administration set for court battle over White House ban

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to arrive in the U.S. today for his state visit with President Donald Trump.

The trio of news outlets that Trump abruptly banned from accessing the White House will be in court today to argue their expulsion was unconstitutional and should be lifted immediately.

“This ban could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment nor a more blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles,” lawyers for CNN, Politico and MS NOW said in a court filing Monday ahead of the hearing.

“The ban is unconstitutional and should be immediately restrained,” they contended, citing legal precedent in the District of Columbia and U.S. Supreme Court.

The news organizations are scheduled to make their case to U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly at a 3:30 p.m. ET hearing.

During his address to the United Nations General Assembly yesterday, Trump issued a dire warning to Iran, saying, “Will a deal be made with Iran? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic?” It comes as the president is set to welcome China’s Xi Jinping to the White House where the escalating AI competition will top their agenda. The visit, however, is drawing rare criticism from…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business