Trump's first event after TV pool boycott turns chaotic as background noise drowns out remarks

WASHINGTON, DC: The TV pool’s suspension of White House coverage left President Donald Trump’s remarks hard to hear on the White House’s official feed on Monday, September 21.

Multiple major US television networks have launched an indefinite boycott of White House pool coverage of President Donald Trump. ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and Fox News have carried out this unprecedented collective action.

Background noise drowns out Trump's helipad remarks

Trump participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the White House on Monday. The event was not carried live by the White House television pool and streamed only on the White House's official feed.

Trump was not near a network microphone during the ribbon-cutting for the new helipad, so his remarks were largely drowned out by background noise.

The so-called “chopper talk” can often be difficult to hear, but the White House press pool usually helps reduce the background noise with its microphones.

Fox News, ABC News, CBS News, CNN, and NBC News suspended White House TV pool coverage of events designated as presidential pool coverage on Monday, effectively boycotting Trump's events after the administration banned CNN, MS NOW, and Politico.

“The public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government. No administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting,” said the five networks that make up the White House TV press pool in a joint statement.

What is the White House press pool

The White House press pool is a small, rotating group of journalists who travel with and closely track the US president to share real-time updates, photos, and video footage with the broader news media.

CNN was scheduled to provide the television video feed for the pool on Monday, but the White House barred it from doing so. The other four networks declined to replace CNN, and the pool said no replacement would be put in place.

CNN is one of five broadcasters that traditionally share presidential video-pool responsibilities with ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox.

CNN, MS NOW, and Politico said on Monday that they had notified the administration that they were filing a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia.

President Donald Trump announced a ban on three media outlets on Friday, barring journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from entering the White House.

Trump wrote that the ban will go into immediate effect “as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS.”

He later said there was no particular reason for the timing of the ban.