Several major U.S. news organizations halted their shared television coverage of President Donald Trump on Monday after CNN, Politico, and MS NOW were blocked from entering the White House. The ban, announced Friday, came after Trump accused the outlets of publishing “fiction or lies” about his administration. Their reporters were denied access the following day.
The three outlets say they will sue the Trump administration, arguing that the government cannot decide which journalists are allowed to report on the presidency.
In the meantime, the White House launched Trump TV, a 24/7 livestream channel showing curated clips of the president.
What happened next
Multiple major outlets — including the New York Times and Washington Post — said they would not participate in pooled coverage or share still images from Trump events.
As a result, there was no network TV footage of Trump boarding Air Force One or arriving in New York for the UN General Assembly.
A ribbon‑cutting ceremony for the new Marine One helipad was streamed on the White House website, but Trump’s remarks were inaudible.
Later, Trump appeared on camera after meeting New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, saying:
“They said they were going to boycott me, but they never boycott me… Look at all that press.”
Why the press pool matters
The White House press pool is a cooperative system where media outlets share video, photos, and notes from presidential events to reduce cost and crowding. When one outlet is blocked, the system breaks down.
Fox News bureau chief Bryan Boughton, who currently helps coordinate TV pool coverage, told outlets in an email that the TV pool would stop covering Trump’s events because CNN was prevented from fulfilling its assigned duties. No replacement pool would be provided.
Legal action
CNN, Politico, and MS NOW filed a lawsuit Monday in federal court, saying:
“Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting… Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference.”
Regular coverage of the president has been disrupted after he banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.
Read full story
Author:
