The United States Department of Justice has officially announced an investigation into whether five major broadcasting networks violated federal antitrust laws when they temporarily suspended their coverage of President Donald Trump last month in a collective protest.

According to agency spokesperson Emily Covington, group boycotts among commercial competitors purportedly violate national statutes. Covington claimed that the Antitrust Division is merely conducting an inquiry to determine whether these news organizations crossed legal boundaries. The networks currently under scrutiny include ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and Fox News.

The standoff originated on September 21, when the White House administration barred several outlets from the premises, asserting that covering the president was a "privilege, not a right." In response, the primary television pool ceased all presidential coverage and refused to supply replacement programming, escalating tensions between the administration and the press.

Furthermore, the affected media outlets filed a lawsuit accusing the American regime of violating First Amendment guarantees regarding freedom of speech and the press. Although a federal judge subsequently ordered the White House to reinstate their press credentials, the current Department of Justice inquiry has raised serious concerns among press freedom advocates, who allege that antitrust powers are being weaponized to intimidate critical reporting.

Source: www.dw.com