MS NOW says journalists denied access to White House grounds

Mr Trump banned several outlets on Friday (AP)

MS NOW has said its journalists were denied access to the White House grounds on Saturday morning, a day after US president Donald Trump said he would ban the network and other news outlets from the complex.

The action escalated Mr Trump’s long-running efforts to restrict news coverage by journalists he finds objectionable, and is the latest test of US First Amendment protections in the US.

Mr Trump said on Friday that he was barring the news channel, along with CNN and Politico from the White House due to what he called unfavourable coverage and “fake news”.

MS NOW said in a statement it would take steps to protect its First Amendment rights.

The First Amendment to the US constitution protects five fundamental freedoms: religion, speech, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the government.