WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Justice is examining whether the White House television press pool broke antitrust law when it stopped covering President Donald Trump last month, a department spokesperson said Saturday.
Emily Covington, a Justice Department spokesperson, said coordinated boycotts by competing businesses could violate U.S. law. “The Antitrust Division is simply investigating to determine whether these news organizations have violated the antitrust laws,” she said.
The investigation was announced after the five broadcasters that make up the television pool halted presidential coverage last month. The move followed the administration’s decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.
Messages seeking comment were sent late Saturday to the five outlets: ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX and NBC.
The White House press pool, a rotating group of news organizations responsible for covering the president, has become a symbol of the broader dispute over whether the president — or anyone else — can dictate the content of news coverage, a form of free speech and a cornerstone of American democracy.
The events last month represented a dramatic escalation in Trump’s efforts to limit access for reporters and news organizations he considers insufficiently supportive.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico sued over the ban, which lasted several days. The restrictions were lifted after a judge granted the three organizations a temporary reprieve that remains in effect until Tuesday.
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Television coverage through the White House press pool has since resumed.
Jose Zamora, the Committee to Protect Journalists’ regional director for the Americas, criticized the administration’s decision to open the investigation Saturday.
“The government should not use antitrust investigations to intimidate news outlets defending press access,” Zamora said on X. “The public’s right to know depends on that access.”
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Taxin contributed to this report from Santa Ana, California.
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