The major television networks resumed White House pool coverage of President Donald Trump on Friday, ending a dayslong suspension after the administration barred CNN from participating in the rotation.
The five networks that make up the pool — ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News and NBC News — resumed pool coverage after CNN regained access to the White House grounds on Thursday.
CNN had a pool assignment Friday at the National Archives, where Trump was set to tour the complex with Chinese President Xi Jinping, while CBS was handling pool coverage at the White House. The White House approved CNN’s credentials for the National Archives event, according to the Associated Press.
The networks suspended their rotating pool coverage Monday after the White House prevented CNN from carrying out its scheduled duties. Rather than replace CNN, the other four networks declined to participate, leaving several presidential events without the independent television footage normally distributed to news organizations around the world.
The resumption comes one day after U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the Trump administration to restore White House access to CNN, MS NOW and Politico, all three of which had sued after Trump barred them from the White House last week. Reporters from the outlets were initially turned away Thursday morning despite the order before eventually being allowed back onto the grounds around noon.
Kelly’s ruling did not directly address CNN’s place in the television pool, and the networks continued withholding pool coverage Thursday while seeking assurances that CNN would be permitted to resume its regular duties. As a result, there was no network pool coverage of Xi’s White House visit Thursday.
The return of the pool follows another confrontation Thursday night, when CNN and MS NOW said some of their journalists were denied access to cover Xi’s arrival for a White House state dinner despite regaining their general clearance earlier in the day.
CNN said the White House allowed a photojournalist and audio technician into the event but excluded the network’s reporter and producer. MS NOW White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López was also denied entry.
The broader legal fight remains unresolved. Kelly’s temporary restraining order lasts 14 days as CNN, MS NOW and Politico’s lawsuit proceeds.
