What is the White House press pool and why is it in a row with Trump?

The White House press pool is at the centre of a major row between President Donald Trump and TV networks. What is it? A network boycott affected live TV coverage of Trump's ribbon-cutting event at the White House When Donald Trump unveiled a helipad at the White House on Monday, his remarks were barely audible in live footage of the event. This was due to a row over an institution that rarely makes the news – the White House Press pool. Yet it is at the heart of relations between the US president and the media, and this dispute could have constitutional implications. Coverage of upcoming presidential engagements, which include the UN General Assembly in New York, could be affected.

It is a group of news organisations that combine resources to follow presidents wherever they are – in the Oval Office, at state dinners, on Air Force One or on holiday. There are separate pools for TV, photographers and print and radio outlets, as well as a "new media" category. The idea, conceived decades ago, is that having a pool saves on costs and space and it's not practical for hundreds of media outlets to follow the president around. Members of the pool share their material – pictures and descriptions of the president's movements – with the wider media. The