Fox News joins rival networks in suspending pooled coverage after White House turns away CNN

Fox News has joined its rival networks — ABC, CBS, NBC and even CNN — in suspending pool coverage of President Donald Trump after the White House on Monday turned away CNN. 

"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," the pool members, including Fox, said in a statement. 

For years, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC have shared television coverage of presidential events, pooling the financial costs and distributing the footage that is aired by news organizations globally. The networks perform these duties on a rotation, and CNN had been scheduled to cover Trump's travel to the United Nations General Assembly on Monday. The White House refused to allow CNN to serve as a pool representative. 

The decision to suspend the pool escalates a showdown between the Trump administration and the legacy media outlets following Trump's decision to ban MS NOW, CNN and Politico reporters from entering the White House. On Saturday, journalists from those outlets were prevented from entering the White House, and on Monday, they filed a lawsuit against Trump over the ban. 

"Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting. Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference," the three outlets said in a joint statement. 

In a post on Truth Social Monday, Trump defended his ban on the three outlets. 

The White House is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish. It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS, something that has grown like Cancer in our beloved United States of America. It is corrupt, purposeful, pervasive, fully coordinated, and totally out of control. It is a threat to our National Security, and must be stopped, NOW!" Trump wrote.

Vice President JD Vance also chimed in with his own defense of the ban. 

"We're not gonna give you special access to the White House if you engage in what is effective propaganda. They're just not going to get an office in the White House anymore, and I think it's totally appropriate," Vance told reporters.