Trump’s speech drowned out as US TV networks boycott White House coverage

President Donald Trump's White House press event on Monday was largely inaudible to viewers, as major US television networks collectively boycotted covering his speech due to his recent ban on three news outlets. The White House press pool, a rotating group of around 20 journalists, stopped providing coverage for the president, leading to lack of audio from his remarks.

Normally, the pool shares their observations with other media outlets through live footage and audio supplied by five networks - ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NBC. However, in response to Trump's ban on CNN, MSNBC, and Politico, those four networks boycotted the pool as well, united in their decision to stop reporting from the White House.

This rare show of solidarity among competitors left even the president unheard, with only the noise of a nearby helicopter caught on the White House's own camera feed. The press pool's absence also impacted outlets like Newsmax, which pointed out the missing audio. The White House defended the ban, arguing that outlets were not entitled to coverage, while press freedom groups expressed concern over the implications for media outlets across the country that rely on pool reporting for their news.