The White House has launched a 24-hour YouTube video channel featuring President Donald Trump and his administration, as a dispute over media access escalates between the government and major US news organisations.
Called “Trump TV: The Essentials Station,” the stream began broadcasting on Monday evening, offering speeches, announcements, official events and previously recorded footage selected by the administration. The White House has presented it as a way for Americans to follow the administration’s activities directly.
The launch came days after the White House barred journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, prompting the three organisations to file a lawsuit challenging the restrictions.
Major television networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News, subsequently suspended their participation in the White House television pool in protest. The shared pool normally provides video and audio from presidential events to broadcasters that cannot all send their own crews.
The dispute has raised broader questions about access to presidential information and the role of independent media. Critics argue that an administration-controlled video feed cannot replace independent reporting, while the White House says its platform allows the public to see presidential activities without traditional media filtering.
The development marks a significant new phase in the ongoing conflict between Trump and sections of the US news media.
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