The U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether five major TV networks violated antitrust laws by boycotting White House coverage in solidarity with CNN after the administration revoked the press credentials of CNN, MS Now, and Politico in September 2026.
The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an antitrust investigation into five major television networks—ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and Fox News—over their decision to suspend White House press pool coverage in September 2026, following the revocation of press credentials for CNN, MS Now, and Politico by the Trump administration. The probe centers on whether the networks’ coordinated boycott of coverage violated the Sherman Act, which prohibits group boycotts among commercial competitors.
The DOJ’s Antitrust Focus
A Justice Department spokesperson stated, Group boycotts among commercial competitors can violate the Sherman Act. The Antitrust Division is simply investigating to determine whether these news organizations have violated the antitrust laws.
The agency’s inquiry follows a coordinated move by the five networks to halt pool coverage after the White House barred CNN, MS Now, and Politico from the White House complex, complaining about their coverage of him.
The networks’ decision to suspend coverage was framed as a protest against the administration’s actions, which they argued threatened First Amendment rights. The government should not use antitrust investigations to intimidate news outlets defending press access,
said Jose Zamora, the Committee to Protect Journalists’ regional director of the Americas, criticizing the DOJ’s involvement.
The television press pool, which includes ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News, and CNN, shares the costs of covering the White House, takes turns organizing coverage, and distributes footage to outlets nationwide. The pool’s chair stated in an email that the suspension followed the White House’s position preventing CNN from fulfilling its assigned pool duties.
The networks resumed coverage after the dispute, though tensions with the administration persisted.
The White House’s Credential Revocation
The conflict began on September 19, 2026, when the White House revoked the press credentials of CNN, MS Now, and Politico, blocking reporters from entering the building. The administration stated that access to the White House was a privilege – not a right.
The three outlets sued, arguing the move violated their constitutional rights, and a federal judge temporarily blocked the ban on September 24, ordering the White House to immediately return, reinstate, and restore
their credentials.
The five networks, which share the costs of covering the White House and distribute footage to outlets nationwide, resumed coverage after the suspension but continued to face tension with the administration. Still photographers in the White House pool, including Reuters, Getty Images, and the New York Times, also agreed not to publish photos taken on September 21 until midnight the next day.
Legal and Press Freedom Implications
The DOJ’s investigation has reignited debates over the boundaries of antitrust law in media. While the networks have coordinated pool coverage for decades without legal challenges, the current probe hinges on whether their boycott constitutes a “group boycott” under the Sherman Act. The Justice Department has not yet clarified whether it has legal standing to pursue the case, but the move has drawn sharp criticism from press freedom advocates.
The outcome of the probe could set a precedent for how antitrust laws apply to media coordination, with potential financial and legal consequences for the networks involved. NBC News recently took over coordination of White House pool coverage from Fox News, as part of a rotation that changes every three months, according to two people familiar with the matter. The New York Times was first to report about the probe, which has intensified the broader conflict between the Trump administration and the press.