White House Press Ban: What is the Pool and Why is it in Dispute with Trump?
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More BBC Verify | Newsbeat | What is the White House pool and why is it in a row with Trump?
Image source: EPA
Image caption: A network boycott affected live TV coverage of Trump's ribbon-cutting event at the White House
By Henri Astier
Published 22 September 2026, 12:41 BST
Updated 5 hours ago
When Donald Trump unveiled a helipad at the White House on Monday, his remarks were barely audible in live footage of the event. This was due to a row over an institution that rarely makes the news – the White House Press pool. Yet it is at the heart of relations between the US president and the media, and this dispute could have constitutional implications.
What is the White House Press Pool?
The White House Press pool is a group of news organisations that combine resources to follow presidents wherever they are – in the Oval Office, at state dinners, on Air Force One, or on holiday. There are separate pools for TV, photographers, print and radio outlets, as well as a "new media" category. The idea, conceived decades ago, is that having a pool saves on costs and space and it's not practical for hundreds of media outlets to follow the president around. Members of the pool share their material – pictures and descriptions of the president's movements – with the wider media. The pool is always on standby in case an event requires the president to speak to the nation.
This latest row centres on the TV pool, which has five members: CNN, ABC, CBS, Fox News, and NBC.
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