White House bars CNN from covering Trump on behalf of major TV networks

The White House prohibited CNN from participating in the press pool covering President Trump's travel to Tennessee, where he was scheduled to attend a college football game. This decision, conveyed in a White House schedule update, removed CNN from its assigned role as the rotating television network responsible for sharing coverage with other major broadcasters. The move intensified existing friction between the Trump administration and news organizations.

This exclusion occurred despite a federal judge's recent order that temporarily reinstated White House access for CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, which had been previously banned. While the judge's ruling addressed general White House credentials, it did not explicitly cover press pool assignments or access to Air Force One. The White House instead listed the conservative network Real America's Voice for a secondary role in the travel pool.

President Trump had frequently criticized CNN, referring to it as "FAKE NEWS" and questioning its access to the White House. In previous instances where CNN was barred, other major television networks had temporarily suspended their pool coverage in solidarity.