DOJ opens antitrust review of major TV networks amid White House press dispute
The Justice Department has opened a formal antitrust inquiry into ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News over their conduct during litigation about White House access. The review follows President Trump's decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House and revoke press passes for more than 70 journalists. Press freedom advocates condemned the investigation as an effort to intimidate news organizations, while the networks declined to comment.
The inquiry focuses on five television outlets—ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and Fox News—and whether their joint handling of White House press-pool duties crossed antitrust lines. The dispute grew from the administration’s exclusion of CNN, MSNOW, and Politico and its removal of credentials for over 70 journalists.
A judge temporarily restored access and planned a longer ruling by Tuesday evening. The networks declined comment; advocacy groups criticized the probe. The Justice Department cited the Sherman Act and possible group boycott, while anonymous sources confirmed the investigation’s outline.
The investigation could deepen uncertainty for national TV newsrooms, affecting how they coordinate pool coverage and negotiate access. It may also influence smaller outlets and freelance journalists who rely on pooled material, potentially narrowing public access to White House events. If courts uphold the probe, similar antitrust scrutiny might chill cooperative newsgathering; if rejected, it could reinforce protections for editorial coordination. The outcome may shape public trust in both government oversight and press independence.