Washington, September 22, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Major US television networks suspended their shared pool coverage of President Donald Trump on Monday after the White House prevented CNN from carrying out its assigned duties, as CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a federal lawsuit challenging their exclusion from the White House.
Fox News, ABC News, CBS News, CNN and NBC News took the unusual joint step after CNN was removed from the rotating television pool for Trump’s trip to New York ahead of the United Nations General Assembly. The networks said the decision followed the White House’s refusal to allow CNN to fulfil its scheduled pool assignment.
“Effective today, the TV pool will not be covering events designated as pool coverage of the President,” Bryan Boughton, Washington bureau chief at Fox News and the current television pool chair, said in an email to members.
In a joint statement, the five networks said the public had a direct interest in receiving independent information about the government.
“No administration should restrict a news organisation because it objects to its reporting,” they said.
The television pool provides shared video coverage when space or travel restrictions prevent the entire White House press corps from accompanying the President. Print and photo journalists did not suspend their pool duties.
The dispute intensified after CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington seeking a temporary order blocking enforcement of the ban and restoring their White House press access. The outlets said the action violated their First Amendment rights and challenged the government’s authority to revoke their journalists’ access based on objections to their reporting.
The case was assigned to US District Judge Timothy Kelly, who was appointed by Trump. The lawsuit names White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Secret Service Director Sean Curran as defendants.
The three organisations said they had gone to court to “protect our First Amendment rights” and to defend the principle that the government should not determine what the press reports or publishes.
Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., a lawyer representing the organisations, described the White House action as a “direct assault on the First Amendment and a blatant violation of due process.” The outlets allege that the ban was intended to punish reporting disliked by the administration.
Trump rejected the allegation that his administration was attacking press freedom.
“The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday, adding that the administration was instead targeting what he called “FAKE NEWS”.
Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were denied entry to the White House grounds on Saturday, and their press credentials were deactivated or confiscated. Trump had announced the ban a day earlier while criticising the outlets’ coverage. He did not identify a specific report that prompted the decision and indicated that other outlets could also face restrictions.
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