The major television networks resumed coverage of the White House pool of President Donald Trump on Friday, ending a day-long ban after the administration banned CNN from participating in the tour.
The five networks that make up the pool – ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News and NBC News – began covering the pool after CNN entered the grounds of the White House on Thursday.
CNN had a pool assignment Friday at the National Archives, where Trump was scheduled to tour the building with Chinese President Xi Jinping, while CBS handled pool coverage at the White House. The White House approved CNN’s credentials for the National Archives incident, according to the Associated Press.
The networks suspended coverage of the rotating pool on Monday after the White House barred CNN from performing its scheduled duties. Instead of replacing CNN, the other four networks refused to participate, leaving several presidential events without the independent television footage that is usually distributed to news organizations around the world.
The restart comes one day after US District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the Trump administration to restore White House access to CNN, MS NOW and Politico, which the three had sued after Trump banned them from the White House last week. Reporters from the centers were first turned away on Thursday morning despite the order before being allowed back on the land around noon.
Kelly’s decision did not directly address CNN’s role in the television pool, and the networks continued to hold off on airing the pool Thursday while seeking assurances that CNN would be allowed to resume its normal duties. As a result, there was no network coverage of Xi’s visit to the White House on Thursday.
The pool’s return follows another standoff on Thursday night, when CNN and MS NOW said some of their reporters were denied permission to cover Xi’s arrival for a state dinner at the White House despite getting their general permission back earlier in the day.
CNN said the White House allowed a photographer and an audio technician into the event but removed the network’s reporter and producer. MS NOW White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López was also denied entry.
The broader legal fight remains unresolved. Kelly’s temporary restraining order will last 14 days as the CNN, MS NOW and Politico lawsuits proceed.
