WASHINGTON, — CNN was removed from its scheduled television press-pool assignment covering President Donald Trump’s trip to Texas and Oklahoma on Thursday, with Real America’s Voice taking its place aboard Air Force One as the administration’s dispute with several major news organizations continues.
The change marks the second time in less than a week that Real America’s Voice has been selected instead of CNN for presidential travel.
CNN had initially been listed as the primary television pool representative for Thursday, with Real America’s Voice serving as the secondary outlet. Updated White House guidance Wednesday night removed CNN, leaving Real America’s Voice to cover Trump’s trip.
The president traveled Thursday to Texas and Oklahoma as part of a campaign swing ahead of the November midterm elections. His schedule included a visit to a Peterbilt Motors plant in Denton, Texas, and appearances in Oklahoma and Texas.
The latest move follows a similar decision last weekend.
CNN had been scheduled for television pool duty during Trump’s Sept. 26 trip to Knoxville, Tennessee, but White House guidance instead listed Real America’s Voice. The president traveled to Tennessee to attend a college football game.
The controversy goes beyond which network gets a seat aboard Air Force One.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico are engaged in a legal battle with the Trump administration over access to the White House. The organizations argue that restrictions imposed against them violate the First Amendment and amount to viewpoint discrimination. The White House maintains that access to the complex is a privilege and has defended its authority over press access.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order restoring the organizations’ access to the White House grounds. However, the order addressed their White House credentials and did not specifically resolve who must receive television pool assignments or seats aboard Air Force One.
That distinction has now become a major part of the fight.
For decades, television networks have operated a rotating pool system because there is not enough space for every news organization to accompany the president everywhere he travels. Pool journalists gather video and information and distribute it to the broader press corps.
CNN is a member of the traditional U.S. network television pool. Real America’s Voice is not part of that established network pool, although it has increasingly received access from the Trump White House.
During the Sept. 26 trip, Real America’s Voice correspondent Taylor Mitchell said the outlet viewed the assignment as a responsibility to provide presidential footage and information to the public. The network also offered its video feed to other news organizations.
Trump has made clear that his decisions regarding press access are connected to his dissatisfaction with coverage from CNN and MS NOW.
In comments and social-media posts, Trump has accused the networks of overwhelmingly negative and dishonest coverage of his administration and questioned why organizations he considers producers of “fake news” should receive White House access. That is the president’s characterization; the affected organizations reject the administration’s rationale for restricting their access.
The dispute has also created a dilemma for other television networks.
When CNN was previously excluded, other members of the traditional television pool declined to participate in some coverage in solidarity. That disrupted the normal system under which television organizations rotate responsibility for covering the president.
MS NOW has also criticized the administration’s treatment of CNN and the other organizations. Reports describing the network as threatening a “boycott,” however, need context: the larger dispute involves whether members of the traditional television pool should continue participating when one of their pool partners is excluded, rather than simply a decision to stop reporting on Trump altogether. The fight now presents two separate questions.
One is legal: whether the White House can restrict individual news organizations because of disputes over their coverage.
The other is practical: who gets to decide which news organization occupies the limited television pool position aboard Air Force One and at presidential events.
Those questions remain unresolved.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico are seeking a preliminary injunction that would prevent the administration from enforcing its restrictions while their lawsuit proceeds. The temporary court order currently protecting their White House access runs through Oct. 8.
Meanwhile, Real America’s Voice continues to receive opportunities traditionally assigned to members of the established television pool.
For the second time in less than a week, CNN was out.
Real America’s Voice was in.
And the fight over who gets to cover the president from inside Air Force One is now moving from the White House press room into federal court.
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