Trump blocks CNN from TV pool for Tennessee trip - media conflict escalates

Donald Trump is rekindling his conflict with the US media: The broadcaster CNN is not allowed to film the president's trip to the state of Tennessee as a representative of the so-called TV pool. In this pool, five major American television networks have been taking turns in their daily reporting on the US president for decades. The pool representatives usually travel with the president and usually have direct access to his appearances.

Trump is not only risking a test of strength with the media, whose reporting he does not approve of, but also with a US judge. He had issued an interim order that CNN and the broadcaster MS NOW as well as journalists from the website "Politico" must first be allowed to report from the White House again.

Trump had their access blocked on Friday last week, citing their reporting. Following the judge's decision, the three media outlets' access to the White House was restored. Critics viewed Trump's actions as an attack on press freedom and an attempt at intimidation.

Unloaded from trip and not allowed to attend the state banquet

Today would have been CNN's turn to take over TV coverage of Trump's trip to Tennessee. However, this was canceled without giving any reasons, as CNN reported. The other broadcasters usually use the recordings from the respective pool cameras. For Saturday, Trump-friendly pillow entrepreneur Mike Lindell's online channel Lindell TV is now listed as representing the pool.

Since the four other broadcasters temporarily refused to film Trump's appointments this week in solidarity with CNN, there were fewer video images than usual - including from the visit of Chinese head of state Xi Jinping.

After the interim injunction, the White House allowed the journalists from the affected media outlets back onto the premises, but when asked, did not comment on whether CNN could take over its pool services again. Shortly before the state banquet with the Chinese head of state, journalists from CNN and MS NOW were again not allowed in.

Taken literally, the judge only ordered that the three media outlets' access passes to the White House be restored, legal expert Eli Honig told CNN. However, one could argue that disinviting CNN from the trip as a reporter for the TV pool violated "the spirit" of the judge's order, he pointed out. He assumes that CNN lawyers will be allowed to contact the court again.