The US Justice Department has opened an antitrust investigation into television networks that stopped covering President Donald Trump last month, a department spokesperson said on Saturday. The department is examining whether ABC, CBS, , NBC and Fox News broke federal competition law through their joint boycott. The boycott followed a White House decision to revoke press credentials for reporters from three news organisations, among them.
The spokesperson, Emily Convington, said that group boycotts between commercial competitors can violate the Sherman Act. She added that the Antitrust Division was simply trying to establish whether the outlets had breached the law. The networks had not commented immediately on the announcement.
Pool halt followed White House restrictions on
The probe follows a month in which the five-broadcaster White House pool stopped presidential coverage after the administration barred , MS NOW and Politico from the building. Pool members share the costs of covering the president, take turns organising coverage and pass footage to outlets across the country. All five networks, Fox News included, suspended coverage in solidarity and refused to provide replacement footage.
The White House had said on September 19 that covering the president was a privilege rather than a right. The excluded outlets sued, arguing that the restrictions violated the First Amendment and amounted to retaliation for their reporting.
Court ruling and ongoing access disputes
On September 24, the White House reinstated the credentials after US District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled that the ban was likely unconstitutional. He ordered the administration to restore the outlets’ access. Disputes over access to particular presidential events and pool assignments nevertheless continued.
The antitrust investigation is the latest in a series of clashes between the Trump administration and major news organisations. Trump has repeatedly described the mainstream media as “fake news” and often argues with reporters during press encounters. The move also places legal and potentially financial pressure on broadcasters to keep covering the president even when they disagree with how the White House treats them.
Press freedom group criticises the probe
Jose Zamora, the Americas director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, criticised the decision on Saturday. He said on X that the government should not use antitrust investigations to intimidate news outlets defending press access. He added that the public’s right to know depends on that access.
