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Karem v. Trump

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  1. Newsgathering

On August 16, 2019, the White House press secretary suspended journalist Brian Karem’s security credentials for 30 days, following an incident with Sebastian Gorka in the Rose Garden on July 11. Karem, who is the White House correspondent for Playboy and a CNN contributor, filed a lawsuit challenging this decision in court. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press filed an amicus brief in support of Karem, outlining the due process requirements that prevent the White House from suspending a journalist’s security credentials based on vague, ad hoc criteria never previously articulated or published. It also highlights the paramount importance of these requirements, which ensure transparency and fairness, prevent arbitrary and discriminatory decisions by the government, and support an informed electorate and accountable executive branch.