Days after President Trump barred reporters from three major news outlets from the White House, the administration has launched a 24/7 YouTube channel promising to put its “biggest moments all in one place.” The move has quickly drawn criticism from press-freedom advocates and Democratic lawmakers, some of whom have labeled it “state-run media.”

“Trump TV” began streaming Monday night with the tagline: The Essentials Station.

The channel opened with the president’s July 3 speech at Mt. Rushmore, where among other things, he blamed “newcomers to our country” for what he called “a resurgence of the communist menace in our land.”

The launch followed a Friday post on Trump’s Truth Social site announcing that CNN, MS NOW and Politico were being barred from the White House. The president called the outlets “Fake News” and accused them of reporting “FICTION and LIES” about him, the administration and the United States.

On Monday, the three media organizations filed a federal lawsuit against the administration, alleging the government was violating their First Amendment rights of free speech by limiting their access to the White House. They also alleged violations of their Fifth Amendment due process rights, arguing that they were neither given notice of the ban nor afforded an opportunity to challenge the decision.

In a joint statement, Fox News Media, ABC News, CBS News, NBC News and CNN pushed back on the White House ban, defending the public’s “vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government.”

“No administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting,” the statement said.

In addition, in a show of unity, media outlets who participate in joint, shared coverage of the White House – including NPR – have said they will not take audio and video from White House events until further notice. But coverage of Trump by other sources, not subject to the boycott, will continue.

In posts on X, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, both Democrats, called the new White House venture “state run” media. Newsom said it amounted to “truly autocratic behavior from a failed President.”