Trump Family Business Seeks ‘Trump TV’ Trademark After Media Ban

(Bloomberg) -- A Trump family company is seeking to trademark the brand Trump TV, days after the president sought to ban three media outlets from the White House.

The Trump TV brand would encompass political news and commentary, according to the application dated Sept. 24.

The move comes after the White House itself launched a "Trump TV" channel on its website and YouTube that plays a continuous stream of archived video of the president's speeches and events. The debut came shortly after Trump announced his bid to ban CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House grounds, prompting a boycott of presidential coverage by major television networks.

A federal judge ordered their access restored on Thursday, and on Friday the White House allowed CNN to resume its duties as part of the pool that covers the president at certain presidential events where the entire press corps are unable to attend. The restoration of that access was a key consideration for the major networks, who share resources for expensive television coverage of the president and rely on CNN's participation. The boycott ended after the White House relented.

It's not clear why the property linked to the president is seeking to trademark the Trump TV name and how that would impact the federal government's project under that name. The White House referred questions to the Trump Organization, which did not respond to a request for comment.

But family business deals and licensing agreements have proliferated in Trump's second term, entering a widening pool of industries that includes cryptocurrencies, social networking feeds, drones and prediction markets.

The arrangements have drawn outcry from his opponents including congressional Democrats, and occasional Republican scrutiny. Over the course of Trump's second term, White House representatives have repeatedly said that there are no conflicts of interest related to the president and his outside business interests.

The Trump TV trademark application came from DTTM Operations, an affiliate of the Trump Organization.

Trump has long monetized the family name through licensing deals, including in real estate and merchandise. He earned millions of dollars in licensing agreements for sneakers, fragrances, guitars and international hotels and golf courses, his most recent government ethics disclosures show.