White House app rises to No 1 after Trump TV launch as CNN, MS NOW and Politico ban continues

WASHINGTON, DC: The White House app on Wednesday, September 23, climbed to No 1 in Apple's News category, one day after the Trump administration launched Trump TV, a 24-hour YouTube livestream featuring videos and remarks from President Donald Trump and his administration.

The app ranked no. 1 after Trump barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House and subsequently launched Trump TV for presidential coverage. A federal judge also heard arguments on Wednesday over the outlets' request to restore their access but did not immediately issue a ruling.

White House App rises as Trump TV debuts

The White House said the app moved into the top 20 among all apps and reached No 1 in the News category before falling to No 2 by Wednesday evening. The app, which launched in May, has a 4.9 out of 5 average rating on Apple's App Store and has recorded more than 2 million downloads across the App Store and Google Play, according to the White House.

The administration attributed the increase in downloads to users seeking information directly from the White House. In a statement, the White House said, "More and more Americans are gravitating to the app because they want the news straight from the source, not filtered through networks that have spent years distorting the (president’s) record."

Trump TV, described by the White House as "The Essentials Station," features videos of Trump and members of his administration, including major remarks, selected highlights and other footage. The White House has described the platform as a place to watch its "biggest moments all in one place."

The White House on Wednesday evening streamed live footage of Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcoming Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews. Trump TV initially showed footage from May, when Xi hosted Trump at a banquet in Beijing, before footage of Wednesday's welcome was added to the stream several minutes later.

Judge questions process behind media access ban

Trump TV was launched after three outlets were banned from the White House pool. The outlets, CNN, MS NOW and Politico, then continued their legal challenge to the administration's decision to revoke their White House access.

The three organizations had sued the Trump administration on Monday, September 21, arguing that the restrictions violated their First Amendment rights and challenging the decision to remove their press credentials.

During an emergency hearing on Wednesday, US District Judge Timothy Kelly questioned whether the administration had followed legal precedents requiring journalists to receive advance notice of the rules governing their access. Kelly said the precedent "wasn't followed here."

The judge did not issue an immediate ruling, meaning the restrictions remain in place for now, leaving 78 journalists from the three organizations who previously held credentials without access to the White House complex.

The Justice Department also defended the restrictions, citing national security concerns and reports it said contained sensitive or classified information. DOJ attorney Michael Velchik told the court, "Access to the White House is a privilege, not a right."