Fox News has said it would join rival CNN in its legal battle to restore the access of White House reporter Jim Acosta, maintaining that press credentials “should never be weaponised.” Fox, which has often been praised by US President Donald Trump, said the revoking of the CNN reporter’s press pass raises concerns over freedom of the press.

“Fox News supports CNN in its legal effort to regain its White House reporter’s press credential,” the news channel’s president Jay Wallace said in a statement.

“We intend to file an amicus brief with the US District Court. Secret Service passes for working White House journalists should never be weaponised. While we don’t condone the growing antagonistic tone by both the president and the press at recent media avails, we do support a free press, access and open exchanges for the American people.”

But the Trump Administration isn’t giving any ground despite the position of Fox News.

In a legal filing it said Mr Trump has “broad discretion” to regulate journalists’ access.

“The President and White House possess the same broad discretion to regulate access to the White House for journalists (and other members of the public) that they possess to select which journalists receive interviews, or which journalists they acknowledge at press conferences,” the White House said in its response to the suit. “No journalist has a First Amendment right to enter the White House.”