US Networks Boycott Trump Pool Over White House Press Ban — SkimNews
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- Trump banned CNN, Politico, and MS NOW from the White House on Friday, accusing them of writing "fiction or lies" about his administration after reporters were denied building access on Saturday
- Major US TV networks suspended their pooled coverage of Trump on Monday in solidarity, with the New York Times and Washington Post also declining to share still images from his events
- CNN, Politico, and MS NOW filed a joint lawsuit Monday in US District Court in Washington, arguing the White House revoked their credentials "without notice or process" and that the action "threatens press freedom"
- The White House launched Trump TV, a 24/7 streaming channel of presidential clips, shortly after announcing the media ban
- The boycott left no network TV footage of Trump boarding Air Force One or arriving in New York for the UN General Assembly, though a Marine One helipad ribbon-cutting was streamed on the White House site with inaudible audio
- NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani told Trump that all members of the media would be welcome at a press conference; Trump responded: "they said they were going to boycott me, but they never boycott me, so I wasn't very worried about that"
Why it matters: Three major US outlets filed suit alleging the White House revoked their credentials "without notice or process," arguing the ban "threatens press freedom and the public's right to independent journalism." The boycott eliminated standard TV pool footage of Trump's UN General Assembly trip and other Monday appearances, while the administration launched its own Trump TV streaming channel to bypass traditional media altogether.
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