US President Donald Trump has announced the launch of his own television channel, named 'Trump TV', just days after revoking press credentials for several media outlets. The new 24-hour service began broadcasting on Monday night at around 7 pm ET, according to a statement from the White House.
The channel appears to run a constant feed of the Trump administration's "biggest moments all in one place". The first footage shared was a two-month-old speech Trump gave at Mount Rushmore on July 3.
Press boycott and revoked credentials
The launch follows a boycott by the press after the Trump administration revoked credentials for CNN, Politico, and MS NOW at the weekend. The President had accused the outlets of unfavourable and "fake" coverage.
Without a press pool, there was no network of microphones positioned nearby to capture Trump's words during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new White House helipad. His speech was drowned out by significant background noise, leaving viewers with video but no audio.
Backfiring moment caught on camera
Newsmax aired footage of the incident, with host Bianca de la Garza explaining: "There's no microphone because the pool cameras aren't there." She added: "Maybe, Tim, this is one example of it backfiring just a little bit. Obviously, the ramifications are right here. Can't hear what the president's saying."
Deputy assistant to the President, Kaelan Dorr, described the new network on X as a "livestream of the Administration’s greatest hits, unfiltered." The White House said the channel offers "24/7 [coverage] updated in real time, with top past moments, announcements, and the latest and greatest from the administration all in one place."
Comparisons to authoritarian states
The removal of the free press from the White House grounds and the new state-run media channel drew quick comparisons to Kremlin propaganda channels in Russia and state-run, heavily censored TV in North Korea.
One X user summarised: "The Trump administration announces state-run media, similar to Russia and North Korea, launching 'Trump TV', its own 24/7 streaming channel of the administration's remarks and events, going live tonight at 7 p.m. [local time] and claiming 'just the news that matters most - straight from the Trump Administration.'"
This is the first time in US history an American president has launched a formal state-media channel in his own name. It comes three days after the White House banned CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, and hours after the five-network TV pool stopped covering Trump's events in response, leaving a White House event with video but no sound.
Another X user commented: "We’re now at the 'state-run media' stage of Trump’s authoritarian takeover."
