US justice department investigating TV networks over Trump pool coverage
Investigation launched after five broadcasters last month ceased presidential coverage after CNN, MS Now and Politico were barred from White House The US Department of Justice is investigating whether the decision of the White House television press pool to halt coverage of the US president, Donald Trump, last month violated antitrust law, an agency spokesperson said Saturday. A spokesperson for…
The US Department of Justice has launched an investigation into whether the White House television press pool's decision to cease presidential coverage violated antitrust law, following the administration's ban of CNN, MS Now and Politico from the White House. The investigation comes after the five broadcasters in the pool halted coverage of President Trump last month, marking an unprecedented escalation in Trump's efforts to restrict news reporters and outlets that he deemed insufficiently supportive.
The White House had previously revoked the credentials of reporters from CNN, Politico and MS Now, calling covering the president a "privilege, not a right". The Committee to Protect Journalists has criticized the administration's decision to investigate, arguing that the public's right to know depends on press access.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Guardian US's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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