Kimmel criticizes Trump over White House press access

Jimmy Kimmel used his Tuesday monologue to criticize President Donald Trump over restrictions on White House press access, saying the administration’s actions had left Trump with less live television coverage. Kimmel also connected the dispute to the anniversary of his own brief suspension from ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! in September 2025. Kimmel said the administration had barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House access, prompting major networks, including Fox, to stop providing live press-pool coverage of presidential events. In that arrangement, outlets take turns supplying a shared live feed. The reports describe the networks’ response through Kimmel’s account; the material provided does not independently establish which networks withdrew coverage or how long it lasted. Kimmel argued that the loss of pool coverage meant fewer cameras and microphones at presidential events. One report described footage of Trump speaking at a South Lawn helipad ribbon-cutting on Monday without a press pool to capture the audio. The available accounts do not establish the full extent of the resulting coverage gap. The administration’s action was disputed.