Justice Department investigates TV networks, citing possible anti-trust violations

The US Justice Department is investigating whether major television networks violated federal antitrust laws by boycotting White House events. The networks under investigation are ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and Fox News. According to a Justice Department spokesperson, group boycotts among commercial competitors can violate the Sherman Act.

The investigation comes amid tension between the Trump administration and major news organisations. The White House had previously blocked reporters from CNN, Politico, and MSNBC from entering. The probe was first reported by The New York Times.

Harmeet Dhillon, a figure at the Justice Department, has been involved in significant changes, pushing out hundreds of longtime attorneys and replacing them with inexperienced ideological allies. The department's enforcement powers have been used to pursue the president's agenda.

Brief written by urgent.news from NPR, Channel News Asia, New Straits Times — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.