Politics & Governance
US broadcasters halt Trump coverage over White House ban
Major US broadcasters halted television pool coverage of President Donald Trump on September 21 in protest at his decision to ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.
ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC said they were stopping pool coverage, in which one broadcaster films White House events on behalf of all television outlets for the day. CNN had been scheduled to serve as the White House TV pool on Monday.
“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government. No administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting,” the broadcasters said in a joint statement.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico also went to court after Trump ordered the outlets barred on Friday. In their lawsuit, the organisations asked for a temporary restraining order, saying the ban violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution. A US district judge set a hearing for Wednesday.
Trump’s opening of a new White House helipad and his trip to the United Nations General Assembly went ahead without live television coverage. The helipad ceremony was streamed on the White House website, but Trump’s comments were inaudible in that stream.
Several photo news organisations working at the White House, including AFP, delayed releasing photographs of Trump at the helipad in solidarity with the banned outlets.
Trump defended the ban on Truth Social, saying the White House was not attacking the free press but what he called “FAKE NEWS.” Vice President JD Vance said the outlets could still report and had free speech, but would no longer get an office in the White House.
The ban went beyond office space. Journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were denied access to White House grounds on Saturday and had their passes confiscated.
Trump has not detailed what prompted the ban, but said in response to a question on Friday that it was “really just cumulative stories over the last two years.” He also warned that other outlets could face a similar fate, without naming them.
On Monday evening, the White House launched a streaming channel called Trump TV, which it said would show videos, remarks and highlights. When it went online, it was showing archive footage of Trump speaking at Mount Rushmore on July 3.
Update
CNN, MS NOW and Politico went to court after Trump ordered them barred from the White House.
Trump’s helipad opening and trip to the United Nations General Assembly proceeded without live television coverage.
Journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were denied access to the White House grounds on Saturday and had their passes confiscated.
A US district judge set a hearing on the complaint for Wednesday.
The White House launched a streaming channel called Trump TV.
Source note: AFP news report published on 22 September 2026 at 00:11:39 UTC.
Update
ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC issued a joint statement saying the public has a vital interest in accurate, independent information about the government.
The broadcasters said no administration should restrict a news organisation because it objects to its reporting.
The item explains that TV broadcasters rotate responsibility for filming the president at some events.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 September 2026 at 14:33:55 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
It was unclear from the supplied information whether Trump’s meetings with foreign leaders at the United Nations would receive live television coverage.
Trump did not provide detailed examples of the coverage that prompted the ban.
Trump warned other outlets could face a similar ban but did not identify them.
Source
AFP news report published on .