The White House launched “Trump TV” after major networks suspended television programs broadcasting the US president.
Published September 22, 2026
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended President Donald Trump’s decision to ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, arguing that the administration was restricting their access to the presidential complex, not their ability to operate as news outlets.
“We’re not shutting down CNN,” Rubio said in an interview with NBC on Tuesday. “There are no groups of police officers or soldiers kicking down the doors of MSNBC or MS NOW, arresting people or disconnecting them from the power grid. They just aren’t allowed to work in the White House workspace.”
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Rubio becomes the latest administration official to defend the move, which was also backed by Vice President J.D. Vance.
“We’re not going to give you special access to the White House if you’re essentially engaged in far-left propaganda,” Vance told reporters Monday, insisting the move was about “fundamental fairness.”
Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani told President Trump during a meeting at Gracie Mansion on Monday that he asked all members of the press to attend the event.
“We’ll have all the press here on the lawn,” Mamdani said. “And that’s what I believe. That’s what everyone believes, regardless of the opinions and criticisms we engage with.”
President Trump announced the ban on Friday, accusing three news organizations of repeatedly reporting what he called “fake news” about his administration. The White House said the First Amendment protects the right to publish, but does not guarantee access to the White House, the briefing room or the president’s press corps.
The decision took effect on Saturday, with journalists from the three organizations being denied entry to the White House and having their access privileges revoked.
News organizations sued the administration on Monday, arguing that the ban violates their First Amendment rights and that the government cannot restrict access to journalists based on their reporting. A federal judge will consider an application for a temporary restraining order.
The controversy also disrupted the White House TV pool, which allows participating networks to share footage and other coverage when space limits the number of journalists allowed to attend presidential events. Major TV networks withheld mass coverage of Trump on Monday after CNN was removed from rotation.
That same night, the White House launched Trump TV, a 24-hour streaming channel on YouTube and the White House website, streaming the president’s videos and speeches 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When the channel first launched, it aired an archive of President Trump’s speech from Mount Rushmore in July.
“Now you can stream real-time updates and live events directly to your phone,” the White House wrote on social media. “No noise. Only the most important news, straight from the Trump administration.”
