‘Why are we feeding them talent?’ Peter Navarro urges Trump team to boycott Fox over WH press ban

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump’s senior trade adviser Peter Navarro on Wednesday, September 23, called on administration officials and Trump allies to stop appearing on Fox News and Fox Business after the network joined other major television outlets in suspending White House pool coverage.

Navarro criticized the outlet over its participation in the joint action following Trump’s decision to bar CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House.

The three organizations subsequently filed a lawsuit challenging the administration’s decision to revoke their access. However, a judge on Wednesday did not immediately rule on whether to reinstate their access.

Peter Navarro calls for Trump officials to avoid Fox

Navarro made the call in a series of social media posts and during an appearance on Steve Bannon’s 'War Room,' where he questioned why members of the administration continued to provide Fox with guests.

Navarro specifically urged Cabinet secretaries, agency heads, White House officials, and administration surrogates to stop appearing on both Fox News and Fox Business.

He said the network’s participation in the television pool action amounted to siding against the administration.

“FOX may call that solidarity. I see a network using its position to settle a score with a President it has never liked,” Navarro wrote. “And FOX can't pretend it was simply following the crowd.”

He also accused the network of abandoning the administration, writing that Fox “wore our jersey and played for the other team.”

Navarro has previously criticized Fox over its coverage of the Trump administration, including its handling of tariff and border security issues.

He has also publicly attacked the network following its decision to part ways with longtime host Maria Bartiromo earlier this month.

During the War Room appearance, Navarro questioned whether the administration should continue providing Fox with access to its officials. “Why are we feeding them talent anymore?” Navarro asked. “Why do we do that when we know they're going to stab us in the back?”

When Bannon asked whether Navarro was calling for administration officials to stop appearing on Fox, Navarro said, “I'm calling for that question to be seriously asked.”

He continued his criticism, saying, “Fox has revealed itself to be essentially undermining the Trump administration.”

Fox joins TV pool boycott after CNN White House ban

Fox's involvement in the dispute came after Trump's decision to bar CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House.

The three organizations subsequently sued the administration, arguing that the restrictions violated their First Amendment rights.

CNN had been scheduled to handle television pool coverage on Monday, September 21.

Under the longstanding arrangement, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NBC rotate responsibility for recording presidential events and distributing the footage to other news organizations.

After CNN was prevented from carrying out its assigned duties, the remaining networks declined to replace its crew.

The five networks issued a joint statement saying, “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.”

Bryan Boughton, Fox News' Washington bureau chief and the current chair of the television pool, informed subscribers that the pool would not cover events designated for presidential pool coverage and that “There will be no replacement pool put in place.”