# Trump bans CNN, networks boycott his helipad debut

> Major TV networks skip covering Trump's new White House helicopter pad after he bars CNN from the grounds, raising First Amendment questions.
- Title: Trump bans CNN, networks boycott his helipad debut · Fortune
- Summary: Major TV networks skip covering Trump's new White House helicopter pad after he bars CNN from the grounds, raising First Amendment questions. Trump banned…
- Keywords: donald trump, cnn, white house, media access, first amendment, abc, cbs, nbc, fox news, helipad, Trump, bans
- Source: Fortune — https://fortune.com/2026/09/21/trump-tv-pool-cnn-ban-white-house-landing-pad-networks-abc-cbs-nbc-fox
- Author: Will Weissert
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: donald trump, cnn, white house, media access, first amendment, abc, cbs, nbc, fox news, helipad
## Trump cuts ribbon on new helipad
President Trump unveiled the White House's new helicopter landing pad Monday with gold scissors and a red, white and blue ribbon on the South Lawn.
## Networks boycott over CNN ban
ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News skipped covering the ceremony after Trump banned CNN from White House grounds, breaking their normal five-network pool rotation.
## Trump announced CNN ban Friday
Trump said Friday he was banning CNN, MS Now and Politico from covering the White House. All three outlets have since sued over the decision.
## Helicopter noise drowned out remarks
Trump's words at the ceremony were inaudible over his waiting Marine One helicopter. He later posted on social media instead of answering reporters' questions.

> We are just leaving the White House Lawn on the maiden voyage from the newly built, and very beautiful, Heliport!
## Granite pad impresses visiting Xi
Trump designed the helipad with extensive granite he claims has a million-year lifespan. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives Wednesday for a state visit.
## Previous Trump project failed quickly
Trump claimed his Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool refurbish would last a century, but paint faded and the liner peeled away in chunks within days.
## Helipad cost up to six million
Trump said the helipad would be privately funded by Sikorsky Aircraft, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary, at an estimated cost of up to six million dollars.
## Media ban overshadows building plans
Constitutional questions over Trump's CNN ban have eclipsed his helipad project and Xi's visit, as his approval ratings sink weeks before midterm elections.
## Key takeaway

Trump banned CNN from White House coverage, prompting ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News to boycott his helipad ceremony, escalating his conflict with media outlets.