Major US TV networks suspend coverage of Trump after ban on CNN, MS NOW, Politico

The decision was announced on Monday after CNN was prevented from carrying out its scheduled duties as part of the White House television pool. Fox News Media, ABC News, CBS News, CNN and NBC News jointly said they would no longer provide the rotating pool coverage.The decision was announced on Monday after CNN was prevented from carrying out its scheduled duties. (Photo: Reuters)Major US television networks have suspended their shared coverage of President Donald Trump after the White House barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from its grounds, accusing the outlets of publishing fake news. The ban has left a key gap in video coverage of the US President's public events.The decision was announced on Monday after CNN was prevented from carrying out its scheduled duties as part of the White House television pool. Fox News Media, ABC News, CBS News, CNN and NBC News jointly said they would no longer provide the rotating pool coverage."The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government. No administration should restrict a news organisation because it objects to its reporting," they said.The five major television networks have traditionally shared responsibility for covering the US President. They rotate the duty of sending a camera crew to presidential events and distribute the resulting footage to other broadcasters. CNN was scheduled to handle the pool on Monday, including coverage of Trump's trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. But the network could not carry out the assignment after the White House enforced Trump's ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico.The decision does not mean television networks have stopped covering the Trump administration altogether. Rather, they will no longer provide the shared pool feed for events covered under the presidential pool arrangement. Other journalists and outlets can continue reporting from outside the restricted access.CNN, MS NOW AND POLITICO SUE TRUMP The suspension came on the same day that CNN, MS NOW and Politico sued Trump and members of his administration over their exclusion from the White House. The three news organisations are seeking a temporary restraining order in federal court in Washington, DC, arguing that the ban violates their First Amendment protections for freedom of speech and the press. They have also argued that the administration removed their access without proper notice or process."Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public's right to independent journalism free from government interference," the outlets said in a joint statement. "The government does not decide what the press reports or publishes."It followed the White House's decision to turn away journalists from the three organisations on Saturday. Their reporters said their press credentials were confiscated after they arrived at the White House grounds. The outlets have continued covering the administration from outside the complex.Trump announced the ban on Friday through social media, accusing the three outlets of publishing false reporting. He defended the decision again on Monday and argued that the move was not an attack on press freedom."The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish. It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS," Trump wrote on Monday. "It is a threat to our National Security, and must be stopped, NOW!"WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE TV POOL DOESThe White House television pool is designed to ensure that broadcasters can obtain video of presidential events even when space or logistical restrictions prevent every network from sending its own crew.CNN, ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC share the responsibility and costs of covering the president. The network assigned to the pool records the event and distributes the footage to other broadcasters. That arrangement has allowed television stations across the country to obtain footage of presidential movements without having to send their own crews to every event.With CNN unable to perform its scheduled role, the other networks faced a choice over whether to replace it or suspend the pool altogether. They chose the latter.The decision was particularly significant because Trump's trip to New York for the UN General Assembly was among the events affected. The absence of a replacement camera means the traditional shared television feed of the president's movements is unavailable for that coverage.For the news organisations involved, the dispute is no longer simply about access to the White House grounds. Their lawsuit argues that the administration cannot restrict journalists because it objects to their reporting. The three outlets said they would continue challenging the ban in court while maintaining their coverage outside the White House.The administration, meanwhile, has defended Trump's decision and accused the affected organisations of unfair reporting. Trump has also suggested that other media outlets could face similar treatment.The immediate effect of the dispute is now visible in the television coverage itself. For the first time in the current confrontation, the major networks that normally compete with one another have jointly declined to provide the presidential video pool.- EndsWith inputs from agenicesPublished By: Sonali VermaPublished On: Sep 21, 2026 21:39 IST