The White House launched a 24/7 livestream on YouTube on Monday after 
Donald Trump barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House coverage. ABC News, CBS News, NBC News and Fox News, which along with CNN provide the White House TV pool, said the same day that they were suspending pool coverage of the president at events because of the ban, Variety reported. The three barred outlets are suing Trump, alleging the ban abridges their First Amendment rights.
What is on the stream? Its inaugural video was Trump's July 3 speech at Mount Rushmore, in which, Variety reported, he called his political rivals "godless" and "evil" communists. The stream went live at 7 p.m. ET and otherwise pairs reruns of Trump speeches with live coverage of other events featuring administration officials. Its YouTube description, under the title "TRUMP TV: The Essentials Station," reads: "Top videos, major remarks, and must-see highlights streaming 24/7 and updated in real time."
What has the White House said? Kaelan Dorr, the White House head of digital strategy, said in a post on X: "The press, in some cases, reported inaccurately or not at all on the Administration's many record breaking accomplishments on behalf of all Americans." He described the stream as "a 24/7 livestream of the Administration's greatest hits, unfiltered."
How have critics responded? The launch was quickly derided by critics as "state-run" television, akin to government-controlled outlets in other countries, Variety reported. Among them was California Governor Gavin Newsom, a frequent Trump critic, who said in a post on X: "First, Trump banned independent news from the White House. Now, he's launching what is quite literally state-run TV to try drowning out the fact that he and his corrupt administration are failing the American people." "This is truly autocratic behavior from a failed President," Newsom said. Before the launch, Weijia Jiang, CBS News' senior White House correspondent and a former White House Correspondents' Association president, said on "Fox News Sunday" that "America cannot have state TV."
Figures referenced: Donald Trump. — JudgeMarket.
