White House launches 24/7 ‘Trump TV’ amid CNN, MS NOW, Politico lawsuit

The White House has rolled out a 24/7 streaming service called ‘Trump TV: The Essentials Station’, giving viewers round-the-clock access to video coverage of President Donald Trump, administration announcements, major presidential addresses and recordings of his past public appearances.

The launch follows Trump’s decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House over what he called “fake news” coverage. The move prompted the three news organisations to challenge the ban in court and was followed by an unprecedented move by major US television networks to suspend their shared White House pool coverage in solidarity.

Trump TV promises direct access

The Trump TV service went live on Monday evening (local time), with the White House pitching it as a platform that brings the Trump administration’s “biggest moments all in one place”. The livestream is being updated continuously and combines recent announcements and presidential speeches with footage from Trump’s earlier appearances.

Also read | CNN, MS NOW and Politico sue Trump over White House ban; TV pool stops coverage

The official White House account announced the launch on X, saying the channel would operate 24/7 and feature “top past moments, announcements, and the latest and greatest from the administration all in one place”.

The White House also claimed that some major moments involving the president had not been broadcast on television and suggested that Trump TV would give viewers direct access to such footage.

Among the first videos streamed was a speech Trump delivered at Mount Rushmore in July this year. The service also carried footage from earlier public appearances, including his swearing-in ceremony as the 47th President of the United States.

Kaelan Dorr, deputy assistant to the President, described the service on X as a “livestream of the Administration’s greatest hits, unfiltered.”

Networks suspend White House pool

The launch comes as tensions between the Trump administration and major US news organisations continue to grow over access to the White House and its press operations.

Trump TV was launched on the same day the five major US television networks -- ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC -- took the unusual step of suspending the traditional White House television pool.

The decision followed Trump’s move last week to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House. CNN had been scheduled to provide coverage for the television pool on Monday.

A television pool involves one broadcaster filming a presidential event on behalf of participating news organisations, allowing other outlets to use the footage. The arrangement is particularly important when space or security restrictions prevent every broadcaster from sending its own crew.