CBS, Fox News halt coverage of Trump's welcome of Xi

• The White House launched "TRUMP TV," a 24/7 streaming network, to bypass traditional media.
• Networks suspended pool coverage after CNN, MS NOW, and Politico were barred, prompting a First Amendment lawsuit.
• Print outlets delayed presidential photo releases while Trump dismissed the media pushback.

Designated media positions for major American news networks sat empty at Joint Base Andrews near Washington as news organizations suspended their involvement in the White House television pool to protest the exclusion of CNN.

Cameras and broadcast positions belonging to major networks, including CBS and Fox News, were left unstaffed during presidential travel operations at the military installation.

The collective action follows an explicit directive by US President Donald Trump banning CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from attending White House events or participating in credentialed press pool rotations.

Networks unit against presidential press bans

US President Trump defended the ban by repeatedly accusing CNN, MS NOW, and Politico of spreading "fake news" and failing to deliver fair reporting on his administration.

In response, major news networks took the extraordinary step of suspending their participation in the shared White House press pool, arguing that the administration cannot selectively dictate which credentialed outlets are permitted to cover presidential events.

The decision by networks such as CBS and Fox News to leave their press positions empty at Joint Base Andrews highlights a sharp escalation in tensions between the White House and the Washington press corps over access and press freedoms.