Major US television networks have suspended their shared television-pool coverage of President Donald Trump after the White House blocked CNN from carrying out its scheduled pool duties, escalating the standoff between the administration and news organisations.Fox News’s Washington bureau chief Bryan Boughton, who is acting chair of the television pool consortium, told members that the pool would stop covering presidential events requiring shared access, The Wall Street Journal reported.The pool includes ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC, with the networks taking turns to provide live footage from events where access is limited. The broadcasters also declined to set up an alternative pool for Trump’s planned trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.The decision followed the White House barring CNN, MS NOW and Politico from its grounds. Trump announced the restrictions on Friday, accusing the outlets of negative coverage and “fake news”.The following day, Secret Service agents denied reporters from the three organisations entry to the White House and took their hard-pass press credentials.CNN, MS NOW and Politico responded by filing a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday. The organisations are also seeking a temporary restraining order, arguing that the restrictions amount to unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination and violate First Amendment protections.In a joint statement, the three organisations said they were suing to “protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes.”Trump has defended the restrictions, rejecting claims that his administration is attacking press freedom.“The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish,” Trump wrote on social media.He had previously defended keeping the outlets out of the White House, saying that if they wanted to publish negative stories, “I don’t have to let them into the people’s house.”
