The White House on Monday launched a round-the-clock streaming channel called “Trump TV,” broadcasting presidential remarks, administration announcements and archival footage through its official YouTube channel, days after President Donald Trump barred three major news outlets from White House access.
The channel, branded “Trump TV: The Essentials Station,” went live at 7 p.m. EDT. In a post on X, the White House described it as a way to view “top videos, major remarks, and must-see highlights streaming 24/7 and updated in real time.” Its opening broadcast featured footage of Trump speaking at Mount Rushmore in July, followed by clips from his January 2025 inauguration. A promotional clip circulated earlier in the day used footage from television and film, including “Seinfeld,” “Family Guy” and “The Dark Knight,” set to a 1980s pop song about television replacing radio.
The stream is also embedded on the White House website alongside a rolling text ticker carrying official statements. It remains unclear whether the channel will carry live coverage of presidential and administration events, or only edited and archival material.
The launch follows Trump’s announcement Friday that reporters from CNN, Politico and MS NOW would be denied access to the White House, with the president accusing the outlets of producing inaccurate coverage of his administration. All three organizations have since filed a federal lawsuit seeking to restore their credentials, arguing the restrictions violate constitutional press protections. The case has been assigned to a U.S. District Court judge, according to reporting from the Associated Press.
In response to the outlets’ exclusion, the White House press pool — comprising CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN and Fox — declined to provide pooled coverage of Trump’s public events on Monday, including a meeting with New York City’s mayor and the unveiling of a new White House helipad, which aired without audio due to the absence of the pool’s usual equipment.
California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the new channel’s rollout, describing it on social media as state-run television and accusing the administration of attempting to drown out criticism with official messaging.
The White House has defended its actions, saying press freedom does not obligate the administration to grant access to every news organization it takes issue with.
