The launch came after Trump announced he was banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House
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NEED TO KNOW
- Donald Trump has launched Trump TV days after announcing he was banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House
- The nation’s major TV news organizations announced a boycott of pool duties on Monday, Sept. 21, choosing not to show up for the president’s events
- Trump previously wrote on Truth Social that his move was not an attack on the “free press”
Donald Trump has launched his own TV station.
On Monday, Sept. 21, Trump, 80, unveiled Trump TV: The Essentials Station with a clip featuring footage from multiple shows and movies including The Simpsons, Friends, Family Guy, Home Alone, SpongeBob SquarePants, and many more. It’s not known if Trump was authorized to use the clips.
“Watch the Trump Administration’s biggest moments all in one place,” a description on the White House’s YouTube page said of the station. “Top videos, major remarks, and must-see highlights streaming 24/7 and updated in real time. Stay informed and stay up to date!”
As of Tuesday, Sept. 22, the account was streaming old White House events featuring Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
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The launch comes shortly after Trump announced he was banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House “effective immediately” on Friday, Sept. 18. He also warned that further purges of media outlets he decried as “fake news” would follow.
“I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MS NOW (who recently changed their name from MSNBC due to lack of viewership and credibility!), and Politico […] from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America,” Trump continued. “Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
The following day, all three outlets reported that their journalists had been denied access to the White House grounds, with MS NOW and Politico claiming press passes had been confiscated, PEOPLE previously reported.
Trump did not explain specifically why he was banning the three outlets, but said later in the Oval Office, “It’s really just cumulative stories over the last few years,” per Politico.
“You get sick of it. They’re smart people, but they purposely write negative news,” he added without providing any evidence.
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On Monday, Sept. 21, the outlets issued a joint statement confirming they would file a lawsuit to “protect our First Amendment rights.”
“This morning, we notified the government that we are filing a lawsuit today to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes,” CNN, MS NOW and Politico wrote.
They warned that if “left unchallenged,” the Trump administration’s actions would “threaten press freedom” and the public’s “right to independent journalism free from government interference.”
It was then revealed that other major television networks had also declined to participate in White House pool duties moving forward, per Politico.
Bryan Boughton — Fox News Washington Bureau Chief and TV pool chair — said in an email seen by outlets including the BBC and Politico that “effective today, the TV pool will not be covering [events] designated as pool coverage” of Trump.
“This follows the White House’s position preventing CNN from fulfilling its assigned pool duties. There will be no replacement pool put in place,” the email continued, per Politico, referring to the press corps that travel with the president.
TV network crews did not attend a White House event on Monday, where Trump showed off his new helicopter landing pad. This resulted in there being no clear audio of Trump’s comments during the event.
The White House press team was forced to rely on an in-house video feed to show Trump using golden scissors to cut a ribbon. Normally, TV networks rotate coverage duties as part of the White House reporting pool, sharing footage with news organizations across the country and the world.
The Associated Press, The New York Times and Agence France-Presse were among the outlets that chose not to publish photos from Trump’s events on Monday to show solidarity for the three banned outlets, per Politico.
Trump previously denied his move was an attack on the “free press” in a Truth Social post shared on Monday.
PEOPLE has contacted the White House for comment.
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