Story perspectives

Justice Department Probes TV Pool Boycott Over Trump Ban

By Drooid · Oct 11, 2026, 2:26 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

U.S. Justice Department is probing whether ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News violated Sherman Act through pool boycott.
President Donald Trump barred CNN, Politico and MS NOW from White House on September 18, prompting the pool boycott.
ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News briefly suspended pool footage of Trump before restoring coverage.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary block on the ban, extending it through Tuesday.

History

Historical Context

In May 1998 the DOJ sued Microsoft for tying Windows to Internet Explorer, leading to a 2002 consent decree that limited bundling. The 2024 DOJ probe of ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News over a White-House-ordered advertising pool also relies on the Sherman Act’s ban on coordinated market suppression. Both cases show the government using antitrust law to curb dominant platforms.

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Story summary

U.S. Justice Department is probing whether ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News violated Sherman Act through pool boycott.
President Donald Trump barred CNN, Politico and MS NOW from White House on September 18, prompting the pool boycott.
ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News briefly suspended pool footage of Trump before restoring coverage.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary block on the ban, extending it through Tuesday.

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