White House: "Trump TV" to launch 24/7 live broadcast on YouTube
According to the White House, “Trump TV” will feature “past highlights, advertisements, and the administration’s key and latest achievements, all in one place.”
The White House stated in a social media post: “Not every important moment was shown on your TV screen, but now that is possible.”
Prior to the announcement, the White House released teaser videos. One clip showed a television with a static screen followed by an image of Trump. Another clip featured a live broadcast vehicle. The White House then announced an app and urged the public to download it to follow Trump’s news.
The White House’s announcement of the launch of “Trump TV” and its official app marks a provocative escalation in the U.S. administration’s ongoing conflict with traditional media, coming just days after the Donald Trump administration banned major media outlets such as CNN, MSNBC, and Politico from entering the White House, accusing them of posing a “national security threat.”
This ban sparked a widespread crisis and lawsuits against the administration by the affected media outlets, with other networks and news organizations expressing solidarity by suspending joint coverage and delaying the publication of images.
The announcement of the television streaming platform drew criticism, particularly given its timing amid the ban on traditional media. The channel’s promotional clip also raised copyright concerns, as it included numerous clips from popular television shows and films, including “Home Alone” and “The Simpsons.”
California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom wrote: “First, Trump banned independent media from the White House. Now, he is launching what can literally be described as state-run television, in an attempt to obscure the fact that he and his corrupt administration are failing the American people. This behavior truly reflects an authoritarian tendency from a failed president.”
For her part, Stephanie Grisham, the former White House spokesperson during Trump’s first term, stated that “Trump TV” resembles practices used by other actors, adding: “Do you know who else does this? Russia, China, and Iran, to name a few...”
