A new confrontation between Donald Trump and major US media organisations is escalating, with leading television networks suspending pooled coverage of presidential events and the White House responding with the launch of “Trump TV,” a continuous stream of administration content.
At the same time, CNN, MS NOW and Politico have taken legal action seeking to restore their access to the White House after their journalists were excluded.
White House launches Trump TV
The new Trump TV service went live on Monday evening and, according to the White House, will operate 24 hours a day, bringing together past highlights, government announcements and the latest material from the Trump administration.
The service is also presented on the official White House website as “TRUMP TV: The Essentials Station.”
Launched.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 22, 2026
All the top hits, wins, + more. Streaming 24/7 on your phone or tv.
📺 https://t.co/3KwWkBZ69m pic.twitter.com/oIPfUA0Np9
“TRUMP TV is streaming now,” the administration announced, describing it as a continuously updated platform bringing previous highlights, announcements and government news into one place.
The White House said the service would make available significant moments that may not have reached viewers through conventional television coverage.
Its first broadcast was a speech delivered by Trump at Mount Rushmore on 3 July.
Five major networks suspend pooled coverage
The launch followed a decision by the five major television networks participating in the White House television pool to suspend the provision of shared television coverage of presidential events.
CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox News said the suspension would continue until further notice in response to the exclusion of CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.
As part of the action, the networks did not provide their usual pooled television coverage of a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new presidential helipad before Trump departed for New York.
“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government,” members of the television pool said in a joint statement.
“No administration should restrict a news organisation because it disagrees with its coverage.”
White House broadcasts event itself
The White House instead streamed the ceremony through its own social media channels.
However, the sound of Marine One, which was behind the president with its engine running, reportedly made Trump’s remarks difficult to hear clearly.
Trump was speaking at the opening of the new White House helipad. The television networks did not send cameras to cover the event. The audio from this White House livestream was badly distorted and the president’s remarks were largely unintelligible. pic.twitter.com/n2x8jaJUVP
— Misha Komadovsky (@komadovsky) September 21, 2026
Later in the day, some networks carried portions of Trump’s press conference with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Trump sought to minimise the impact of the boycott, saying it was “interesting” that networks had announced they would boycott him but, in his view, never actually did so.
Pointing to journalists gathered outside Gracie Mansion, he added: “Look at all this press.”
Newspapers join protest
The dispute extended beyond television.
Several newspapers, including The New York Times and The Washington Post, said they would not publish photographs of Trump taken by their own photographers until midnight, in solidarity with the television networks.
Meanwhile, CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to restore White House access for their journalists.
The three media organisations argue that the decision to bar them violates protections under the First Amendment to the US Constitution.
Trump and senior officials named in lawsuit
Those named as defendants include Trump, White House communications director Steven Cheung, Secret Service director Sean Curran and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.
The case has been assigned to federal judge Timothy Kelly, who previously handled litigation concerning the restoration of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta’s White House credentials during Trump’s first presidency.
Trump criticised the choice of judge on Truth Social and indicated that he expected to appeal if the ruling went against his administration.
Trump referred to Kelly’s previous ruling involving Acosta and wrote that the administration would “almost certainly” appeal an unfavourable decision.
IT'S LIVE. 📺🦅
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 21, 2026
TRUMP TV IS STREAMING NOW. 24/7, updated in real time, with top past moments, announcements, and the latest and greatest from the administration all in one place.
Not every big moment has made it on your tv, now it can.
📲 https://t.co/3KwWkBZ69m pic.twitter.com/g4v7n2J04s
Dispute began with CNN exclusion
The latest confrontation began when the White House refused to accredit CNN on Monday, when the network had been scheduled to provide pooled television coverage of the president’s movements in New York.
Despite the television pool’s subsequent suspension of coverage, presidential activities continued to be reported by newspaper, radio and news agency journalists, as well as photographers and the White House’s internal production team.
Trump argued that organisations he labels “fake news” should not be given access to the White House.
He described such media organisations as harmful to the country and to national security, adding that the administration would see how the dispute developed.
The White House has defended its position by arguing that access to its premises is a privilege rather than a right and that the First Amendment does not automatically guarantee permanent accreditation or participation in the press pool.
Three journalists directly affected
Three journalists were directly affected by the decision: Betsy Klein of CNN, Akayla Gardner of MS NOW and Cheyenne Haslett of Politico. They are also included among the plaintiffs challenging the restrictions.
Klein discovered that her access had been deactivated when she arrived at a White House gate and passed through security, but found that her pass and special PIN no longer worked.
According to her account, a Secret Service officer referred her to the White House for an explanation.
A Duke University graduate, Klein has worked at CNN since 2014 and previously worked for ABC News. She has covered the US government since 2015, beginning during the presidency of Barack Obama, and continued through Trump’s first term and the Joe Biden administration.
Gardner previously clashed with Trump
Gardner also has extensive experience covering the White House and previously worked for Bloomberg News, reporting on both the first Trump administration and the Biden presidency.
Her White House access card was also cancelled.
During Trump’s second term, Gardner had previously engaged in a tense exchange with the president when questioning him about the cost of a large ballroom.
Trump said the project remained within budget after its size had been doubled because, he argued, the additional space was necessary.
When Gardner responded that the cost had doubled, Trump replied that he had doubled the size and called her a “dumb person”.
When she followed up with another question concerning a swimming pool, he responded: “You’re not a smart person.”
Politico exclusion broadens dispute
The third journalist, Cheyenne Haslett, covers health, technology and the White House for Politico.
She previously spent eight years at ABC News, where her reporting included the pandemic and abortion, and has worked at Politico for approximately a year.
Politico’s exclusion has broadened the confrontation beyond television networks into digital news organisations.
The dispute between Trump and media organisations he accuses of producing “fake news” has consequently moved beyond speeches and Truth Social posts and into the courts.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico are asking the judiciary to overturn the access restrictions, arguing that they breach constitutionally protected rights.
The White House, meanwhile, maintains that the administration has the authority to determine which journalists receive specialised access to its premises.
Source: Proto Thema
