Three major US news organisations have taken President Donald Trump and senior White House officials to federal court over the denial of access to their journalists.

According to The Independent, CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO filed the lawsuit after reporters from the outlets were blocked from entering the White House and had their press credentials disabled or taken away.

The legal battle follows Trump’s decision to bar the three outlets from the White House. The President accused them of publishing what he described as “fiction and lies” about his administration and indicated that other media organisations could face similar restrictions.

The Independent reported that the restrictions took effect the following day, when journalists attempting to enter the White House were turned away. MS NOW correspondent Akayla Gardner said an officer told her that her badge had been disabled, while CNN reporter Betsy Klein said her credential was taken without an explanation.

The three organisations are asking the court to restore their access, arguing that the administration violated constitutional protections for freedom of the press and due process.

POLITICO reporter Cheyenne Haslett was also denied access after her Secret Service-issued pass was confiscated. The organisation’s Global Editor-in-Chief, Jonathan Greenberger, said POLITICO would defend its journalists and constitutional rights.

The lawsuit names Trump, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Communications Director Steven Cheung and Secret Service Director Sean Curran as defendants. The organisations, represented by lawyers from Gibson Dunn, argue that the administration acted without giving them notice or an opportunity to challenge the decision.