The US Department of Justice has opened an antitrust investigation into ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News after the five broadcasters halted coverage of Donald Trump last month.
Emily Convington, a Justice Department spokesperson, said the inquiry would examine whether the networks’ joint action breached federal antitrust law.
“Group boycotts among commercial competitors can violate the Sherman Act,” she said. “The Antitrust Division is simply investigating to determine whether these news organizations have violated the antitrust laws.”
The investigation follows a dispute over access to the White House, after the administration barred reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico. The five broadcasters, which form the primary White House television pool, suspended coverage in solidarity and declined to provide replacement coverage.
The networks share the cost of covering the president, take turns organising coverage and distribute footage to outlets around the country. CNN, ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC are members of the pool.
The White House said on September 19 that covering the president was a “privilege – not a right”. The excluded organisations sued, alleging that the restrictions violated the First Amendment and amounted to retaliation over their reporting.
A US district judge, Timothy Kelly, later ruled that the ban was likely unconstitutional and ordered the administration to “immediately return, reinstate, and restore” the outlets’ access. The White House restored their credentials on September 24, although disagreements over access to particular presidential events and pool assignments continued.
The Justice Department’s move is the latest confrontation between the Trump administration and major news organisations. The president has repeatedly described the mainstream media as “fake news” and frequently clashed with reporters during press encounters.
The networks did not immediately comment on the announcement.
Jose Zamora, the Americas director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, criticised the investigation, saying: “The government should not use antitrust investigations to intimidate news outlets defending press access. The public’s right to know depends on that access.”
