US Justice Department opens an antitrust investigation into TV networks that halted coverage of President Trump

10 October 2026

The US Department of Justice said on 10 October 2026 that its Antitrust Division was investigating whether television networks violated antitrust laws by halting coverage of President Donald Trump last month. The five networks of the White House television pool are ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC. They stopped presidential coverage after the White House barred reporters from CNN, MS Now and Politico on 19 September. A department spokesperson said group boycotts among commercial competitors can violate the Sherman Act. The White House reinstated the credentials on 24 September after US District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled that the ban was likely unconstitutional.