ABC, CBS, Fox News, CNN and NBC have suspended presidential TV pool coverage after Trump barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.
Five major US television networks have suspended their shared coverage of President Donald Trump’s official events after the White House barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from its premises.
ABC, CBS, Fox News, CNN and NBC normally operate a rotating television pool that covers presidential events and travel, with the designated network providing footage that is distributed to other news organisations.
The suspension means no network television pool team will accompany Trump during his trip to New York, where he is scheduled to attend events linked to the United Nations General Assembly.
CNN had been scheduled to provide Monday’s pool coverage before its White House access was revoked.
Networks Suspend Presidential Pool
The five networks announced the suspension in a joint statement, saying the public has an interest in receiving independent information about the government.
“No administration should restrict a news organisation because it objects to its reporting,” the networks said.
The networks will continue covering other events, including congressional activities and selected events that do not fall under the presidential pool arrangement.
The decision followed the White House’s removal of CNN from the rotating pool after Trump announced that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would no longer be allowed access to the White House.
The three organisations were informed on Friday and their journalists’ credentials were revoked over the weekend. Reporters were subsequently denied entry to the White House grounds.
CNN, MS NOW And Politico Sue
CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a lawsuit against Trump and members of his administration on Monday, asking a federal court to restore their access to the White House.
The organisations argue that the ban violates their First Amendment rights and was imposed without adequate notice or due process. They also argue that their journalists were excluded because the administration objected to their reporting.
The outlets are seeking a temporary restraining order to restore their access while the wider case is considered. The case has been assigned to US District Judge Timothy Kelly, who previously ruled in favour of CNN journalist Jim Acosta in a 2018 dispute over White House press access.
The legal challenge places the dispute within a broader constitutional question over whether a presidential administration can restrict journalists’ access to the White House because of disagreement with their reporting.
Trump Defends Media Ban
Trump has defended the decision, rejecting the suggestion that his administration is attacking the free press.
In a post on Truth Social, the president said the White House was targeting what he described as “FAKE NEWS”, accusing the three organisations of producing what he called inaccurate and coordinated reporting.
The White House has directed media organisations seeking comment on the lawsuit to Trump’s social media statement.
Trump has previously clashed with news organisations over access to the White House. In 2018, CNN journalist Jim Acosta’s press credentials were temporarily revoked before a court ordered the administration to restore them.
The Associated Press has also faced restrictions during Trump’s current administration following a dispute over the administration’s use of the name “Gulf of America” for the Gulf of Mexico. A federal court subsequently ordered the government to restore the AP’s access in certain areas.
What The TV Pool Suspension Means
The presidential television pool exists partly to reduce the cost and logistical burden of covering the president.
Instead of every network sending its own camera crew to every presidential event, the networks rotate responsibility. The assigned network records the event and distributes the video feed to other broadcasters and news organisations.
With CNN removed from the rotation and the other networks declining to replace it, there was no designated network television pool covering Trump’s presidential events on Monday.
The absence was particularly significant because Trump was travelling to New York for UN General Assembly-related events, where presidential movements and remarks would normally receive extensive television coverage.
The White House has not indicated whether the television pool arrangement will resume if CNN’s access is restored.
The court proceedings could now determine whether the three banned organisations regain access and whether the administration’s decision to revoke their credentials can stand.
The dispute has therefore moved beyond a disagreement between Trump and individual media organisations to a legal fight over press access, government control of White House credentials and the public’s access to independent reporting on presidential activities.
