Jakarta, ThedailyID — Major US television networks halted their shared White House coverage on Monday, September 21. The move followed President Donald Trump’s decision to bar CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House.
The boycott affected several Trump events. These included the inauguration of a new White House helipad and Trump’s trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
The White House streamed the helipad ceremony on its website. However, viewers could not hear Trump’s remarks during the event.
Five major broadcasters joined the protest. They included ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, and NBC.
The networks normally use a television pool system to cover White House events. Under this system, one network records footage and shares it with other television outlets.
CNN was scheduled to provide the White House pool feed on Monday. However, the network could not perform the assignment after the White House restricted its access.
The dispute began on Friday, September 18. Trump barred CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from entering the White House.
The three organizations later filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. They argue that the ban violates their First Amendment rights.
The media organizations also asked a federal court for a temporary restraining order. They said the government should not restrict news organizations because of their reporting.
Trump has defended the decision. He said the White House was not attacking press freedom.
Instead, Trump accused the media of spreading what he called “fake news.” He also described such coverage as a threat to the United States.
The dispute has also drawn support from other media organizations. Several news and photo agencies took steps to show solidarity with the three banned outlets.
The situation has created an unusual confrontation between the Trump administration and major US news organizations. The dispute now involves both access to the White House and constitutional arguments over press freedom.
The three organizations are seeking to restore their access through the courts. A federal court is expected to consider their request for temporary relief.
