Justice Department probes White House press pool over antitrust concerns

The US Department of Justice is examining whether the White House television press pool's decision to stop covering President Donald Trump last month may have broken antitrust laws. A department spokesperson stated that group boycotts among business competitors might violate US law.

The investigation follows the White House's action in September, which led to the exclusion of CNN, Politico, and MS Now from the White House building. The administration cited the coverage of the president as a 'privilege – not a right.'

The White House press pool, which is a rotating cast of news outlets that covers the president, includes ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, and NBC. These broadcasters share the costs of covering the president, take turns organizing coverage, and share the footage with outlets around the country.

CNN, Politico, and MS Now filed a lawsuit against the administration over the ban, which was temporarily lifted by a judge until Tuesday. Television pool coverage of the White House has also resumed.

The Justice Department has sent messages to the five outlets seeking their responses.

Jose Zamora of the Committee to Protect Journalists criticized the administration's use of antitrust investigations to intimidate news outlets defending press access. He stated that the public's right to know depends on that access.