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Trump's Helipad Launch Silenced by Press Pool Boycott Over CNN Ban
M
Moneycontrol•22-09-2026, 00:18
Trump's Helipad Launch Silenced by Press Pool Boycott Over CNN Ban
- •President Trump launched a new White House helipad with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, but his speech had no audio due to a press pool boycott.
- •Major television networks, including ABC, CBS, CNN, and Fox News, collectively skipped the event after CNN was barred from covering it.
- •CNN is typically part of a five-network rotation for pooled White House coverage, and its exclusion led to the unprecedented boycott.
- •The incident highlights an escalation in Trump's ongoing efforts to restrict news coverage he deems objectionable, with CNN and Politico suing over recent bans.
- •The helipad project, which also involved other renovations, was reportedly rushed to completion before a visit from Xi.
Key Questions Answered
Major television networks and the press pool skipped the event because CNN was barred from covering it. Following a decision by Trump to ban certain news outlets, ABC, CBS, CNN, and Fox News collectively agreed to skip the helipad ceremony.
MS Now, Politico, and CNN filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after being banned from covering the White House. This legal action came as part of an escalation against efforts to restrict news coverage deemed objectionable.
Construction crews replaced the original Tennessee flagstone along the West Wing's colonnade and the asphalt driveway with black and white granite. The 100-foot-wide landing facility features a monochrome presidential insignia crafted from four-inch granite slabs.
