White House launches Trump TV following press bans

The White House on Monday launched Trump TV, a 24/7 stream on YouTube, days after President Trump banned reporters from CNN, Politico and MS NOW over their coverage of him and his administration.

The inaugural video was a stream of Trump speaking at Mount Rushmore on July 3 as part of a livestream titled “Trump TV: The Essentials Station.” The stream started at 7 p.m .

“Watch the Trump Administration’s biggest moments all in one place,” read the stream’s description on YouTube. “Top videos, major remarks, and must-see highlights streaming 24/7 and updated in real time. Stay informed and stay up to date!”

The White House used a similar description on the social platform X but added that “Not every big moment has made it on your TV, now it can.”

The video is also streamed via a YouTube window on the White House website . Beside the window is a box titled “White House Live.” The window read that it was “Off Air” but advised viewers to “Stay Tuned.” Below both windows is a chyron reading official updates and statements praising Trump’s actions as president, among other texts.

It is unclear if Trump TV will play live events featuring the president and his administration.

A promo for Trump TV played on the White House’s YouTube channel earlier in the day. The video used clips of characters from various media –– including “Seinfeld,” “Family Guy,” and “The Dark Knight” –– watching TV as The Buggles’s “Video Killed the Radio Star” played in the background. The words “Trump TV” flash across the screen over the clips.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) slammed Trump TV’s rollout in the wake of his ban on White House reporters from CNN, Politico and MS NOW.

“First, Trump banned independent news from the White House,” Newsom wrote on X . “Now, he’s launching what is quite literally state-run TV to try drowning out the fact that he and his corrupt administration are failing the American people. This is truly autocratic behavior from a failed President.”

Trump banned reporters from the three outlets on Friday as a result of what he claimed was “their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” He told reporters in the Oval Office that there was no particular reason for the timing of the ban, rather that it was “really just cumulative stories over the last two years.”

All three outlets filed a lawsuit against the administration on Monday “to protect our First Amendment rights and defend the principle that the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes,” the outlets said in a joint statement.

Former White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) president Weijia Jiang condemned the ban , noting in a Fox News interview that the U.S. does not have state-run media.

“An America cannot have state TV,” Jiang said. “That’s what makes America America … because you need independent actors to be able to be the observers. And if the government is only showing you what it wants, then you have to question: What are we missing?”