# DOJ probes news networks for pool coverage suspension

> DOJ investigates CBS, CNN, ABC, NBC and Fox News for antitrust violations after Trump banned them from White House pool.
- Title: DOJ probes news networks for pool coverage suspension
- Summary: DOJ investigates CBS, CNN, ABC, NBC and Fox News for antitrust violations after Trump banned them from White House pool. DOJ examines whether major news…
- Keywords: department of justice, press freedom, cbs news, nbc news, abc news, donald trump, fox news, white house, cnn, news, politics, world
- Source: Straight Arrow — https://san.com/cc/doj-investigating-major-news-networks-over-suspension-of-pool-coverage
- Published: 2026-10-11T17:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: department of justice, press freedom, cbs news, nbc news, abc news, donald trump, fox news, white house, cnn, news, politics, world
## DOJ investigation
The Department of Justice is looking into whether CBS, CNN, ABC, NBC and Fox News violated federal antitrust laws when they stopped pool coverage of President Donald Trump.
## Pool coverage suspension
The five networks suspended their pool of Trump events after he banned CNN from the White House.
## DOJ demands records
Six people told The New York Times that Justice Department officials demanded communications and materials about the White House TV pool.
## DOJ claims boycott
Justice Department spokeswoman Emily Covington confirmed the DOJ investigation to the New York Times, saying the affected networks 'proudly boycotted covering White House events'.

> proudly boycotted covering white house events
## Antitrust law
The Sherman Act prohibits activities that restrict competition in the marketplace.
## Legal expert opinion
William E. Kovacic, a former chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, told the New York Times this does not apply if the primary objective is political speech.
## Press freedom concerns
Reporters Committee President Bruce D. Brown said the investigation appears to be a pretext for seeking records from the networks about how they cover daily White House events.
## Intimidation fears
Jose Zamora, the Committee to Protect Journalists’ regional director for the Americas, described the government’s antitrust investigation as a way to intimidate news outlets defending press access.

> a way to intimidate news outlets defending press access
## Key takeaway

DOJ examines whether major news networks broke antitrust laws by stopping White House coverage after Trump barred CNN from the White House.