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CNN Returns to White House Pool After Court Order
Confirmed
In Short: Major television networks resumed collective coverage of President Trump Friday after a federal judge ordered the White House to restore CNN's access.
The White House barred CNN from its scheduled duties on Monday, leading to a suspension of pool coverage by ABC, CBS, Fox News, and NBC.
On Thursday, a federal judge ordered the White House to restore access to CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, but CNN was initially blocked from flying with Trump on Air Force One for his trip to Tennessee.
The networks had suspended pool operations in solidarity after the White House barred CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the complex.
The dispute began after Trump accused the three organizations of false or negative coverage and excluded them from White House grounds.
As a result, there was no network pool coverage of Chinese President Xi Jinping's White House visit Thursday.
The five networks that make up the pool — ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News, and NBC News — resumed pool coverage after CNN regained access to the White House grounds on Thursday.
The networks had suspended their rotating pool coverage Monday after the White House prevented CNN from carrying out its scheduled duties.
The White House had not released a specific source of government funding used to air the ads.
The temporary order did not decide the outlets' broader First Amendment challenge.
Bruce Brown, the President of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said the ban was significant because it affected the public’s access to White House coverage.
What this adds
The networks resumed pool coverage after CNN regained access to the White House grounds on Thursday.
The White House had not released a specific source of government funding used to air the ads.
The temporary order did not decide the outlets' broader First Amendment challenge.
Background
President Donald Trump banned CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from covering the White House, prompting the outlets to file a lawsuit on Monday.
What's confirmed
- The White House barred CNN from its scheduled duties on Monday, leading to a suspension of pool coverage by ABC, CBS, Fox News, and NBC.
- On Thursday, a federal judge ordered the White House to restore access to CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, but CNN was initially blocked from flying with Trump on Air Force One for his trip to Tennessee.
- The networks had suspended pool operations in solidarity after the White House barred CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the complex.
- The dispute began after Trump accused the three organizations of false or negative coverage and excluded them from White House grounds.
- As a result, there was no network pool coverage of Chinese President Xi Jinping's White House visit Thursday.
- The five networks that make up the pool — ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News, and NBC News — resumed pool coverage after CNN regained access to the White House grounds on Thursday.
- The networks had suspended their rotating pool coverage Monday after the White House prevented CNN from carrying out its scheduled duties.
- The White House had not released a specific source of government funding used to air the ads.
- The temporary order did not decide the outlets' broader First Amendment challenge.
- Bruce Brown, the President of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said the ban was significant because it affected the public’s access to White House coverage.
What's still developing
- Kelly’s ruling did not directly address CNN’s place in the television pool, and the networks continued withholding pool coverage Thursday while seeking assurances that CNN would be permitted to resume its regular duties.
- After Trump banned MS NOW, CNN and Politico from the White House grounds last week, citing what he described as unfair coverage, the outlets sued to have their access restored, arguing that the ban violated their due process rights and the First Amendment.
- A friend-of-the-court brief filed Wednesday said the White House action violated the First Amendment and threatened coverage arrangements used by competing news outlets to share access to presidential events.
- The museum houses original copies of the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.
- CNN later received an email from the White House with logistical instructions for Friday’s assignment at the National Archives.
- ATTRIBUTION: This report is based on Reuters reporting published and updated on September 25, with additional court-order details.
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- Their refusal to provide a replacement camera left the first two days of Xi’s visit without the customary shared television coverage.