Trump opens helipad on South Lawn of White House

WASHINGTON, September 21. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump has opened a new helipad on the South Lawn of the White House, according to the presidential press service.

Video footage showed Trump cutting the ribbon on the paved path leading to the helipad in the presence of construction workers before leaving for the Andrews military base near Washington.

The president addressed the audience with a short speech, but it was drowned in the noise of engines of a new presidential helicopter VH-92A Patriot behind him.

Journalists from the White House press pool who were present at Trump's departure also admitted that they did not hear what he said. They confirmed that the press pool accompanying the president during his trip to New York to attend the 81st session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) contrary to custom did not include television companies.

Earlier, Politico quoted a letter from head of the Washington office of Fox News channel Bryan Boughton as saying that major US television companies making the White House press pool refused to broadcast live events with the US president in protest against his denial of access to the White House to some media outlets. According to the story, the main TV companies of the press pool are ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC.

The newspaper noted that the television companies’ refusal to cover Trump’s activities as part of the press pool may create difficulties in receiving images and videos from the UNGA.

On September 18, Trump denied access to the White House to journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico for spreading false information about his administration. He added that the list of banned media outlets may be expanded, adding though he may change his mind.

On September 19, correspondents and technical staff of the TV companies lost access to the White House.

The main general policy debates at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly will begin on September 22.