(TNND) — The New York Times and Washington Post joined The Associated Press, Reuters, Getty Images and Agence France-Presse in temporarily withholding photos of President Donald Trump’s events Monday, in solidarity with news outlets barred from the White House.
The Washington Post said it would not publish photographs of Trump’s departure from the White House or his events at the United Nations in New York until midnight Eastern time. Spokesperson Olivia Petersen called it a collective effort by White House photographers “in a show of support of the banned outlets.”
The New York Times also defended its participation, saying, “Americans deserve a free and independent media covering their government without intimidation, as well as comprehensive coverage of newsworthy events.”
The photo hold came as ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC suspended shared White House television-pool coverage after the administration prevented CNN from carrying out its scheduled pool assignment.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico sued the Trump administration Monday after their reporters were barred from the White House grounds and their credentials were revoked. The outlets argue the move violates the First and Fifth Amendments and are seeking a temporary restraining order to restore access.
The standoff disrupted coverage of Trump’s White House helipad event and his trip to the U.N. General Assembly, where the TV pool normally provides footage for all networks.
With Marine One running nearby and no pool microphone present, Trump’s remarks were difficult to hear. He also declined to answer shouted questions before boarding the helicopter for New York.
Newsmax’s Biana de la Garza said the ban “could be backfiring just a little bit,” noting viewers could not hear Trump because the pool cameras were absent.
Later Monday, the White House announced “Trump TV,” a 24/7 streaming channel. The White House livestream page describes “Trump TV: The Essentials Station” as a place to watch administration videos, remarks and highlights “updated in real time.”