The White House’s New 24-Hour Stream Arrives Days After CNN, MS NOW And Politico Were Barred From White House Grounds And Filed A Federal Lawsuit Challenging The Restrictions
The White House has launched a 24-hour video stream branded Trump TV, creating a new platform for President Donald Trump’s speeches and administration messaging as his White House remains locked in a legal dispute with several major news organizations over press access.
“TRUMP TV: The Essentials Station” went live Monday, Sept. 21, and has been incorporated into the White House website.
The administration describes the stream as a place for viewers to watch presidential remarks, administration announcements and other White House programming. The official White House page identifies the service under the Trump TV name.
The stream’s launch comes just days after Trump barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists from White House grounds.
Trump TV Arrives Amid Fight Over Press Access
Trump announced the restrictions after accusing the three organizations of publishing “fiction and lies” and criticizing what he characterized as negative and inaccurate coverage.
Reporters from all three organizations were subsequently turned away from the White House, with credentials deactivated. Reuters reported that the administration has defended the restrictions while the news organizations argue their exclusion constitutes retaliation based on their reporting.
Related: CNN, MS NOW And Politico To Sue Trump Over White House Access Ban
The three outlets filed a federal lawsuit Monday challenging the ban and seeking emergency court intervention.
The lawsuit alleges violations of First Amendment protections for freedom of speech and the press, along with due process protections. A hearing on the organizations’ request for a temporary restraining order is scheduled for Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly.
The administration disputes the organizations’ constitutional arguments and maintains that restricting access to White House grounds does not prevent them from continuing to report on the president.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico continued covering Trump during his appearance at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday using credentials issued by the United Nations rather than the White House.
Television Networks Push Back
The dispute has also disrupted the traditional White House television press pool, which allows a rotating group of journalists to cover presidential events when space is limited and share material with other news organizations.
After CNN was prevented from carrying out a scheduled pool assignment, other major television networks declined to replace it, temporarily interrupting television pool coverage of White House events.
The Associated Press reported that CNN, MS NOW and Politico contend the administration violated their First and Fifth Amendment rights by excluding them, while the dispute has renewed questions about the White House’s authority over access to presidential events.
Trump TV now gives the administration another way to distribute presidential appearances without relying on independent news organizations to broadcast them.
The service began by airing previously recorded Trump appearances, including his July 3 speech at Mount Rushmore, rather than operating solely as a live news channel. Other programming includes speeches, bill signings and administration events.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a frequent Trump critic, labeled the new platform “state-run TV,” while the administration has promoted it as a way for Americans to see its work without filtering by traditional media organizations.
The larger question surrounding White House press access is now before a federal court. The outcome could help determine the limits of the administration’s authority to exclude specific news organizations while continuing to distribute its own coverage directly to the public.
