Unexpected move from the White House: 24-hour Trump TV launches on YouTube

The US President Donald Trump administration has launched a 24-hour digital TV channel, "Trump TV," on YouTube amid escalating tensions with the media. The new platform is designed to deliver videos of the president's and administration's speeches, statements, and past events directly to viewers.

What will Trump TV show?

The White House has named the new project «TRUMP TV: The Essentials Station» .

According to the official description, the channel will broadcast key events of the Trump administration, the president's major speeches, statements, and curated videos 24 hours a day. It is stated that the content will be updated in real time.

The initial broadcast featured Trump's previous public appearances, including footage from his presidential inauguration ceremony. Subsequent broadcasts will also be shaped by videos selected by the White House.

Why was this decision made now?

The launch of Trump TV comes at a time when disputes between the White House and several major news organizations regarding press access have intensified.

The Trump administration has restricted access for journalists from CNN, MSNBC, and Politico to the White House. These organizations have appealed to a federal court, claiming their constitutional rights to freedom of the press have been violated. The administration maintains that while the media's right to report remains, access to the White House grounds or the press pool is not an automatic right.

Major TV channels stopped covering the president

A further point of escalation was the temporary suspension of the television press pool operations at the White House.

Typically, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NBC take turns covering the president's events and trips, providing the footage to other networks. After CNN was unable to fulfill its assigned duty, the other channels refused to appoint a replacement operator.

Consequently, the system for covering Trump's New York events related to the UN General Assembly via the usual television press pool has changed. According to the AP, CNN was supposed to travel to New York with the president, but the name CNN did not appear on the White House schedule.

Will Trump TV replace an independent TV channel?

The new platform stands out with one important difference: the videos on it are not edited by an independent editorial team, but are selected and distributed by the White House itself.

Therefore, Trump TV can be seen as an official digital information channel for the presidential administration rather than a replacement for independent journalistic reporting. For the White House, this provides a way to deliver the president's speeches and decisions to the audience without intermediaries.

Currently, CNN, MSNBC, and Politico are attempting to restore their access to the White House through the courts. The legal outcome of this dispute could impact the relationship between the US presidential administration and the press.

Thus, at a time when the US president has entered another tense phase in his relationship with the press, the White House has launched a new way to reach the audience directly — the 24-hour Trump TV.