DOMINANT ANGLE
Mexico City first notes the unprecedented solidarity of the major American networks, which preferred to shut down their cameras rather than cover Donald Trump, before the sole judicial aspect of the dispute.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
CNN, MS NOW, and Politico have filed a federal complaint after Trump announced a White House access ban on Friday, September 18; a hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
- 02
ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox News have suspended the broadcast of the common television pool after CNN was prevented from taking its rotation turn on Monday, and the New York Times has suspended the publication of official pool photos in solidarity.
- 03
The White House has launched "Trump TV: The Essentials Station", a continuous streaming channel on YouTube, after the withdrawal of traditional channels.
ANALYSIS
Mexico, September 22, 2026. The Mexican press is giving extensive coverage to the unprecedented backlash from American television networks against Donald Trump. On Monday, as the president inaugurated his new heliport on the south lawn of the White House, major networks refused to cover the event. Under a light rain, Trump cut a tricolor ribbon with large golden scissors, shook hands, and then boarded Marine One without responding to questions from journalists who were calling out to him.
El Financiero reports that CNN, MS NOW, and Politico filed a complaint after the announcement on Friday, September 18, that they would be denied access to White House events, "a clear escalation of Trump's long-standing efforts" to restrict coverage that he deems embarrassing. CNN normally participated in the rotation of five networks providing common footage of daily events; prevented from taking its turn on Monday, it saw ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox News suspend the broadcast of the common pool in solidarity.
Vanguardia MX details the fallout: The New York Times joined the boycott by suspending the publication of official photos from the White House pool, a gesture that its spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander described as "explicit solidarity" with the sanctioned teams, while promising to continue independent coverage. Deprived of traditional cameras, the White House responded by launching "Trump TV: The Essentials Station," a continuous channel broadcast on YouTube — which Reforma and El Norte present as a channel intended to relay the administration's speeches and highlights.
On the legal front, Vanguardia recalls that the First Amendment to the Constitution protects press freedom, and that the White House Correspondents' Association has denounced a "ban on a free press." CNN invokes its "right, guaranteed by the United States Constitution," to work "without hindrance or government interference"; MS NOW promises to "defend the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment"; Politico asserts that it will defend them "vigorously." A hearing is expected on Wednesday.
The Mexican press finally notes Trump's statement on Truth Social, in which he claims that the media should not be able to "constantly write and broadcast fiction and lies" when covering him — accompanied by a threat to extend the measure to other media outlets.
SOURCES (4)
- El FinancieroMEDIUM
- El NorteMEDIUM
- Vanguardia MXMEDIUM
