US Justice Department Investigates TV Networks Over Trump Pool Coverage

The U.S. Justice Department has opened an investigation into ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News, alleging that the networks may have violated federal antitrust laws when they halted coverage of President Donald Trump following a White House ban on certain reporters.

The networks paused their shared “White House pool” for several days after the administration revoked credentials from CNN, MSNBC and Politico, prompting the networks to step back from live Trump broadcasts.

The DoJ’s Antitrust Division says the boycott could amount to a violation of the Sherman Act, which prohibits collusion that restricts competition. It has requested the networks’ internal communications to determine whether their conduct was illegal.

Trump’s move to block specific outlets, citing “fiction or lies,” was reversed after a judge ruled that the ban infringed First‑Amendment rights. The press pool—historically managed by the White House Correspondents’ Association—has been under threat amid a broader campaign to control media access.

The networks have yet to comment on the investigation, while legal actions continue. The case adds another front to the ongoing clash between the former president’s administration and the media.