White House Blocks CNN From Air Force One, Networks Suspend Pool Coverage Again

CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox all declined to take CNN's place in the rotation. A CNN spokesperson confirmed the network had been pulled from its scheduled slot covering the president. Much of the video, photo, audio and print coverage of presidential travel gets shared through this pool system because space on the plane and at events runs limited, and it feeds outlets across the country.

With CNN blocked and the other four networks refusing to step in, there's a real gap in footage from the trip. No video pool means no shared images or audio from Air Force One or the president's movements in Tennessee, a void that normally never happens no matter which network is on the outs with the White House. It also signals networks are willing to unite and walk away entirely rather than let one of their own get frozen out.

The standoff marks the second time this week the pool has gone dark, raising the question of how long rival networks will keep standing together instead of taking the empty seat themselves.