US4 min(s) read
Donald Trump has already had to face one humiliating detail following the launch of the highly controversial Trump TV amid his increasingly bitter feud with the US media.
The president's administration unveiled “Trump TV” this week, just days after CNN, MS NOW, and Politico were barred from the White House and major news broadcasters refused to participate in the usual television pool covering Trump's events.
But while the new channel promises 24/7 access to the president, one detail about its launch appears to have fallen embarrassingly short of expectations, much to the blushes of the US leader.
The White House began teasing the new project on social media with a cryptic video showing an old-fashioned television displaying a blue screen while apparently searching for a signal.
The screen displayed the words “Acquiring Satellite Signal”, before the White House posted: “Not every big moment has made it on your tv. Now it can.”
Around an hour later, the account returned with a much simpler announcement: “Launched.” The White House said Trump TV would bring viewers: “all the top hits, wins, + more” and would be available 24/7 on phones and televisions.
.jpg_tG0wUe?tr=cr-0.0.594.396,f-webp,q-70,w-1024)
The project was given the full title “TRUMP TV: The Essentials Station” and is being streamed through the White House's official YouTube channel, with the administration also publishing the launch on its official website under the headline “Trump TV is Here.”
Rather than immediately broadcasting live breaking news, the channel initially aired footage from Trump's July 3 Mount Rushmore address before moving on to footage from his 2025 inauguration.
It remains unclear whether the service will eventually carry Trump's live appearances or primarily function as a rolling collection of speeches, announcements and other presidential footage.
The controversial channel arrived just days after the president announced that CNN, MS NOW, and Politico would no longer be permitted to operate from the White House, taking to Truth Social on Friday to announce the restrictions, accusing the three outlets of producing false reporting.
He said they: “shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES” before adding: “Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow.”
The restrictions reportedly came into effect the following morning, with several journalists reportedly unable to access the White House, with their passes revoked.
The three organizations subsequently launched legal action against the administration, arguing that the restrictions violate their First Amendment rights.
The White House television pool, involving broadcasters including CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, and CNN, also declined to cover Trump's events in a collective boycott.
Perhaps the biggest talking point surrounding the launch, however, was the humiliating size of the audience.
Just hours after Trump TV was unveiled, reports circulating online suggested that the YouTube livestream was attracting only around 5,000 viewers — which equates to roughly 0.0014% of the US population, which stands at approximately 349 million.
That figure was a long way from the kind of audience that would normally be associated with the president's major television appearances, with it quickly becoming a source of mockery online.
The latest dispute is far from the first time Trump's administration has clashed with major news organizations.
Last year, Associated Press journalists were barred from certain White House access after the organization declined to adopt Trump's preferred name for the Gulf of Mexico, which he calls the “Gulf of America”. The AP has continued to challenge the restrictions in court.
Trump also blocked a Wall Street Journal reporter from Air Force One after the publication reported on his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
The president has similarly been involved in disputes over the naming of public institutions.
Just last week, he said renovations at the Kennedy Center would remain frozen unless courts allowed his name to be added to the building.
For now, Trump TV is streaming while the journalists affected by the White House restrictions continue their legal fight and suspension of coverage.
