The U.S. Justice Department has launched an antitrust investigation into several major television networks following their joint decision to suspend White House pool coverage in protest of President Donald Trump’s ban on certain news organizations.

The inquiry focuses on whether the coordinated boycott by the networks violated federal competition laws, specifically the Sherman Antitrust Act, which prohibits group actions that unfairly restrain trade. According to a department statement, “Group boycotts among commercial competitors can violate the Sherman Act,” and the Antitrust Division is examining the conduct of the networks involved.

The investigation centers on the five television outlets that comprise the White House television press pool—ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News, and CNN. These networks share responsibilities such as organizing coverage, splitting costs, and distributing broadcast feeds of White House events to other media outlets. In late September, they collectively paused pool coverage after the White House barred CNN, MSNBC, and Politico from the White House complex, citing dissatisfaction with their coverage. The White House has described access to presidential coverage as a “privilege – not a right.”

The ban took effect on September 18 and prompted legal challenges from the affected organizations. On September 24, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing the administration from enforcing the exclusion and required that the press passes be reinstated for a two-week period while the case proceeds. The court’s final ruling remains pending.

The television pool’s suspension of coverage began on September 21, with the pool’s chair noting that the boycott was a response to the White House’s position that prevented CNN from carrying out its assigned duties. Coverage by the networks has since resumed.

Alongside the television coverage suspension, press organizations with white house still photography pools—including Reuters, Getty Images, The New York Times, and The Washington Post—agreed not to distribute or publish any images captured on September 21 until midnight the following day.

This investigation adds a new dimension to the ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and the mainstream media, which the president has frequently criticized as “fake news.” By initiating an antitrust probe, the Justice Department is examining the legality of media cooperation in the face of political disputes. The affected networks have not publicly commented on the inquiry.