According to a report by The New York Times on September 26 local time, despite the White House's attempt to prevent CNN from participating in presidential television interviews over the weekend, several major American television networks are still planning to resume joint television coverage of White House activities and President Trump's events starting from Sunday.
Currently, five television networks—ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NBC—form the White House television interview pool. They take turns covering presidential events and share footage with other media outlets. Over the past week, in protest against Trump’s decision to ban CNN, MS NATIONAL, and Politico journalists from entering the White House, these five networks collectively suspended the operation of their interview pool.
However, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter, ABC, CBS, Fox News, and NBC have developed a temporary plan to resume the rotating duty system. When it comes to CNN, other television networks will decide temporarily whether to send a replacement crew. If no one is assigned to take over, that session will be vacant, and Trump’s related activities on that day will not be featured in footage from the main television networks.
Many senior officials from television networks believe that indefinitely suspending television coverage of the president is not realistic. In the event of an emergency or crisis, the lack of cameras will make it difficult for the public to keep up with the president’s movements in a timely manner. At the same time, they emphasize that the new arrangement is only temporary: if the White House continues to decide at the last moment which media can participate in the president’s activities, television networks will also make temporary decisions regarding whether to provide alternative interviews.
Trump's conflict with several media outlets began on September 18. At that time, he suddenly prohibited three American media organizations from entering the White House, citing "dislike" for the reports published by these media organizations. On September 24, Judge Timothy Kelly of the Washington District Court ordered the White House to temporarily restore the access of these three media organizations for interviews over a period of two weeks, and demanded that the long-term visas of CNN journalists be returned.
However, the ruling did not explicitly require the White House to allow CNN to re-enter the television interview pool that is smaller and suitable for close-range coverage of events such as those at the Oval Office and Air Force One.
Trump still shows no sign of backing down. On the 26th, he wrote on social media in all caps: "Fake news should not be allowed into the White House!!! This situation has lasted too long, causing great losses to our country."
