The Justice Department is investigating whether major TV networks, including CNN, Fox News, ABC, CBS, and NBC, violated antitrust laws by jointly suspending pooled coverage of President Trump. This probe follows the White House’s temporary ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, which led to the press pool halting its own coverage.
A judge later restored access for the banned reporters, though some were still barred from Air Force One travel, and a lawsuit has been filed. The situation highlights an ongoing dispute over press rights between the Trump administration and media organizations.
Justice Department Probes TV Networks Amid White House Press Access Clashes
The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into major television networks, examining whether their joint decision to suspend coverage of President Donald Trump constituted a violation of antitrust laws. The probe centers on the White House TV press pool, a consortium of broadcasters including CNN, Fox News, ABC, CBS, and NBC, and their adherence to the Sherman Act, a federal law designed to prevent unreasonable restraints on trade.
CNN White House reporter Betsy Klein works in the CNN workspace outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 24, 2026. (Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images)
This antitrust inquiry follows a significant decision by the press pool to halt its pooled TV coverage on September 21, 2026. The suspension occurred shortly after the White House barred CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from accessing its premises. President Trump, in a Truth Social post, criticized these outlets for what he termed "fiction and lies" in their reporting on his administration.
While a federal judge later ordered the restoration of access for these reporters, temporarily granting it on due-process grounds, the dispute persisted. Reporters from CNN and Politico were reportedly still excluded from traveling with the president on Air Force One, according to The New York Times.
The situation has also led to a lawsuit filed by CNN, MS NOW, and Politico against the Trump administration over the ban. Notably, the television pool coverage of the White House has since resumed.
This investigation by the Department of Justice represents a significant escalation in the ongoing friction between the Trump administration and various news organizations concerning press rights. The administration has previously taken steps to limit news agencies perceived to be critical of its policies. Examples include attempts to rescind funding for public broadcasting and legal actions against media outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and BBC News for alleged inaccuracies or biases.
Seth Stern, chief of advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation, has voiced strong criticism of the DOJ's investigation, labeling it "nonsense." He argues that restricting press access does not constitute a competitive harm and that antitrust law typically recognizes First Amendment exceptions. Stern suggested that Trump's actions represent a deliberate attempt to "weaponize the DOJ" against networks he has labeled the "enemy of the people," implying a desire for attention rather than a legitimate legal concern.
Disclosure: CNBC and MS NOW are divisions of Versant Media.
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