U.S. networks halt Trump coverage for a day, after White House bans three news outlets

U.S. television networks staged an extraordinary revolt Monday when they effectively boycotted coverage of President Donald Trump in protest at his decision to ban three leading outlets from the White House.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico also went to court after Trump on Friday ordered them to be barred, as the 80-year-old Republican stepped up his years-long assault on the U.S. media.

As a result of the row, Trump’s opening of his cherished new White House helipad and his trip to the United Nations General Assembly proceeded without live television coverage.

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In a rare move, the top five U.S. broadcasters said on Monday that they were halting “pool” coverage of the White House — where a broadcaster films on behalf of all television outlets for the day — in solidarity with 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,” ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC said in a statement.

The result is an almost unprecedented test of wills between the Trump administration and the press, in a critical week during which Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting the White House.

There may be no live TV of Trump’s meetings with foreign leaders at the UN in New York, an annual forum that is closely watched around the world.

Meanwhile the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the giant granite helipad on the South Lawn was only streamed on the White House’s website — and Trump’s comments were completely inaudible.

Several photo news organizations working at the White House, including AFP, decided to delay the release of photographs of Trump at the helipad in solidarity with the three banned media organizations.