DOJ opens antitrust probe into TV networks over White House press pool pause

The Justice Department has launched an antitrust investigation into five major television networks after they briefly stopped providing White House pool coverage of President Donald Trump. Investigators sent civil investigative demands on Friday to NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN and Fox News, according to a department spokesperson. The inquiry follows the White House's removal of CNN and other outlets from the press pool and the networks' temporary refusal to take on pool duties.

The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division is examining whether the five networks that rotate through the White House television pool—NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN and Fox News—coordinated when they paused pool coverage. Civil investigative demands went out Friday, according to a department spokesperson. The pool normally shares filming and audio duties for presidential appearances and travel, then circulates that material to other newsrooms.

The inquiry follows the White House’s recent exclusion of CNN, MS Now and Politico from its grounds. After CNN lost its pool slot, the remaining television networks briefly stepped back from those duties. The New York Times first reported the probe. ABC said it had not yet received notice but expected to; several other networks declined comment.