Justice Department probes TV networks after Trump pool boycott
The US justice department has launched an investigation into five major broadcasters following a boycott of presidential press coverage.
ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News halted their shared “pool” coverage of President Donald Trump in September in response to a White House decision that revoked credentials at the news outlet sites of CNN, MS Now and Politico. The move came after the administration alleged that the outlets had circulated false statements about the president’s team.
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division is seeking internal communications from the networks to determine whether the boycott violated the Sherman Act, which prohibits coercive business practices and monopolistic competition. As the press pool traditionally permits individual stations to share footage and information, the coordinated stoppage raised questions about potential collusion to limit competition for live coverage.
A spokesperson for the department said the inquiry is not an accusation but a review: ‘The Antitrust Division is simply investigating to determine whether these news organisations have violated antitrust laws.’
Trump had previously removed CNN, MS Now and Politico from the White House after they were accused of publishing ‘fiction or lies’ about his administration. The ban was lifted after a judge ruled that the restriction infringed on the outlets’ First Amendment rights, and the three organisations then sued the White House over the denial of coverage.
The administration has also taken a series of legal actions against other news outlets, including a court battle over a press‑pool takeover in February and a lawsuit against the Associated Press after it used the term ‘Gulf of America’ instead of ‘Gulf of Mexico’ during a briefing.
The investigation remains ongoing and no statements have yet been made by the implicated broadcasters. The case underscores the tension between the government’s oversight of official communications and the media’s role in ensuring a diverse exchange of information.
