Trump left inaudible as top US broadcasters suspend coverage over White House media ban

US TELEVISION NETWORKS have staged an extraordinary revolt by effectively boycotting coverage of Donald Trump in protest at his decision to ban three news outlets from the White House.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a lawsuit against the US president and three administration officials after he ordered them to be barred, accusing them – without specifics – of reporting “fiction and lies.”

As a result of the row, Trump’s opening of his new White House helipad and his trip to the United Nations General Assembly proceeded without live television coverage.

In a rare move, the top five US broadcasters said on Monday that they were halting “pool” coverage of the White House – where a broadcaster films on behalf of all television outlets for the day – in solidarity with CNN.

CNN had been scheduled to serve as the White House TV pool on Monday.