Washington, September 22, 2026: US President Donald Trump’s trip to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is set to go ahead without the usual television press pool coverage after major US networks declined to replace CNN following the White House’s decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from its grounds.
The dispute escalated after the three news organisations sued Trump and members of his administration, alleging that the ban violated protections for free speech and a free press under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
CNN is one of five major television organisations, alongside ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC, that take turns providing pooled coverage of the US President. The footage is then shared with other news organisations.
TV Networks Suspend Pool Coverage
Bryan Boughton, head of the Fox News Washington bureau and current television pool chair, informed pool subscribers on Monday that the television pool would stop covering events designated for pooled presidential coverage.
“This is to advise that, effective today (Monday), the TV pool will not be covering events designated as pool coverage of the President.”
Boughton also said there would be “no replacement pool put in place”.
CNN had been scheduled to provide pool coverage of Trump’s trip to New York for the UN General Assembly but was unable to do so because of the White House ban. Other major networks declined to take its place.
The suspension means several presidential events could be left without the customary shared television footage. Other non-television members of the press pool can continue covering Trump, meaning his UN visit will still receive media coverage even without the usual pool video feed.
The impact of the suspension was evident at a White House event on Monday, when Trump inaugurated a new helipad on the South Lawn. He was seen cutting a ribbon, but his remarks were barely audible as helicopter noise drowned out his voice in the absence of the regular television pool coverage.
CNN, MS NOW And Politico Sue Trump Administration
CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a lawsuit against Trump and other administration officials in federal court in Washington after being barred from the White House. The outlets are seeking a temporary restraining order against the administration’s action.
“This ban could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment nor a more blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles,” the lawsuit said.
In a joint statement, the organisations said, “Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference.”
The outlets argue that the government cannot determine White House access based on whether officials approve of a news organisation’s coverage. A court hearing on their request for temporary relief is scheduled for Wednesday.
Trump Defends Ban, Targets “Fake News”
Trump announced the ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico on Friday, accusing the outlets of publishing false reports about him. The organisations’ journalists were subsequently denied access to the White House grounds.
Trump said the outlets “shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they are covering the President of the United States.”
He later rejected the contention that his administration was attacking press freedom, saying, “It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS. It is a threat to our National Security, and must be stopped, NOW!”
Trump did not provide evidence to support his claims about the three organisations’ reporting.
Asked about the lawsuit and the administration’s position, the White House said, “The Fake News has no place demanding a spot in the President’s Oval Office.”
“They’re completely capable of reporting from directly outside,” it added.
Latest Flashpoint In Trump’s Battles With Media
The dispute is the latest confrontation between Trump and news organisations over access to his administration.
In an earlier dispute, Trump barred the Associated Press from some presidential events after the news agency declined to adopt his preferred terminology for the Gulf of Mexico.
The AP challenged the restrictions in court. Trump also sought during his first term to revoke the White House credentials of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta and Playboy correspondent Brian Karem, with federal judges ordering the restoration of their access.
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The current dispute has disrupted the television pool system itself. The five participating networks traditionally rotate responsibility for recording presidential events and distributing the footage more widely, allowing news organisations that cannot be present to obtain video of the President’s activities.
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