Donald Trump’s escalating fight with the press produced an awkward consequence Monday when the president unveiled his new White House helipad — without the television press pool that normally provides professional video and audio of presidential events.
Trump held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the White House grounds to celebrate the newly constructed landing pad, a project he has repeatedly promoted while showing off renovations around the presidential complex.
There was just one problem.
When Trump began speaking, the usual network television pool wasn’t there.
The result was immediately noticeable: Trump could be seen talking on the official White House feed, but much of what he was saying was difficult to hear over the surrounding noise.
The unusual scene was a direct consequence of the rapidly escalating standoff between the Trump administration and some of the country’s largest news organizations.
Trump announced Friday that CNN, MS NOW and Politico were being banned from the White House, accusing the outlets of producing “fake news.”
The restrictions quickly became more than a social media threat.
Reporters from the three organizations were subsequently turned away from the White House, and CNN was prevented from carrying out its scheduled television pool assignment on Monday.
That created a much larger problem.
ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News and NBC News — the five networks participating in the rotating White House television pool — responded together.
“Effective today, the TV pool will not be covering events designated as pool coverage of the President,” White House TV pool chair and Fox News Washington Bureau Chief Bryan Boughton wrote in a memo reported by Mediaite.
“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 five networks also issued a joint statement defending independent coverage of the presidency.
“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government,” they said. “No administration should reject a news organization because it objects to its reporting.”
And hours later, Americans got a striking demonstration of what the absence of that pool can mean.
Trump walked onto the White House grounds for the ceremonial opening of his new helipad, cut the ribbon and began delivering remarks.
But without the normal network pool setup, viewers relying on the White House feed struggled to hear portions of what the president was saying.
The television pool normally does far more than put another camera in front of the president.
The five networks rotate responsibility for providing professional television coverage that can then be distributed broadly to other news organizations. The arrangement allows presidential appearances to be captured even when space or logistical restrictions make it impossible for every network to send its own crew.
CNN had been scheduled to perform that role Monday.
Instead, there was no replacement.
The dispute is now moving beyond television coverage and into federal court.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed suit Monday seeking restoration of their White House access, arguing that the administration retaliated against them because of their reporting and violated First Amendment protections.
The White House has defended its actions, while Trump insisted Monday that he “cherishes” a free press but is fighting what he calls “FAKE NEWS.”
Meanwhile, the television networks have made clear that they will not simply substitute another network whenever the administration excludes one member of their rotation.
That left Trump in an unusual position Monday.
An event designed to showcase one of his newest White House projects was unfolding in front of the cameras — but the television infrastructure presidents have relied on for decades to carry their words clearly to the public was suddenly missing.
And this time, the reason was the administration’s own escalating fight with the press.
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