TV networks suspend White House pool coverage in solidarity with news outlets banned by Trump

Major U.S. television networks suspended pool coverage of President Donald Trump on Monday after CNN was removed as the pool network covering the president and three news outlets—CNN, MS NOW and Politico—were “banned” from White House last week. ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and Fox News typically “pool” together, and rotate the responsibility of capturing television footage and live coverage of the president. In solidarity with CNN, the rest of the networks are refusing to jump in, or rotate, to keep that video coverage going, the New York Times reports. “No administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its coverage,” the networks said in a joint statement. Trump announced the ban Friday on Truth Social, and reporters from the news organizations were turned away over the weekend from White House grounds. On Monday, CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a joint lawsuit against the administration to restore their access, arguing the ban violates the First Amendment and due process afforded under the U.S. Constitution. “This ban could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment nor a more blatant violation of our most fundamental constitutional principles,” the out…