5 major networks rejoin White House TV pool after CNN standoff

The five major television networks were back in the White House television pool on Friday following their standoff with the White House over CNN’s access.

CBS broadcast the live feed for television outlets at the White House showing President Trump welcoming Chinese President Xi Jinping back to the White House for the third day of his U.S. state visit, as well as the video feed of the two having tea with first lady Melania Trump and Xi’s wife, Peng Liyuan.

CNN, which was banned by Trump from covering the White House a week ago, also carried the feed.

“CNN’s access to the White House has been restored, and the TV pool appears to be functioning as normal,” CNN anchor Pamela Brown said on air Friday morning .

“As of now, all systems are go,” a person familiar with the pool told The Associated Press .

The development comes after CNN, along with MS NOW and Politico, regained their access to the White House on Thursday. NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox announced earlier this week they were boycotting the television pool over CNN’s exclusion from White House coverage.

On Thursday, a judge ruled in favor of CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, but journalists from the three outlets were initially denied entry into the White House.

The boycott deprived Trump and the state visit of visual major network coverage, though secondary outlets were still in the pool.

Earlier Friday, it was unclear whether the television pool would cover Trump throughout the day. MS NOW and CNN journalists said Thursday their journalists were denied access to the state dinner arrival at the White House, which was a precredentialed event.