US judge to hold hearing on CNN White House lawsuit

The day after the Nov. 6 congressional elections, Trump erupted into anger during a news conference when Acosta questioned him about the Russia probe and a migrant caravan traveling through Mexico.

"That's enough, that's enough," Trump told Acosta last Wednesday, as a White House intern attempted to take the microphone away from the correspondent. "You are a rude, terrible person."

The White House suspended his credentials later that day, with Sanders alleging that Acosta had put his hands on the intern who was trying to take the microphone from him. Videos of the encounter show Acosta pulling back as the intern moved to take the microphone.

'COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ANYONE'

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

The lawsuit noted that Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday there "could be others also."

Theodore Boutrous, a lawyer for CNN and Acosta, said the White House was punishing Acosta for the contents of his reporting. "The White House cannot be permitted to cast out and punish reporters with whom it disagrees," CNN said in its court filing.

The White House Correspondents Association said revoking Acosta's credentials was a disproportionate reaction to what happened at the news conference.

"The President of the United States should not be in the business of arbitrarily picking the men and women who cover him," it said.

US Representative Jerrold Nadler, who is likely to become the Democratic chairman of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee in January, supported the CNN lawsuit.

"@CNN is right to fight back against the cynical, unfair, and authoritarian treatment of @Acosta for doing his job," he said in a Twitter post.