Updated

The Justice Department has opened an investigation into major TV networks, citing possible antitrust violations, in a move that escalates President Trump's ongoing conflict with the press. The probe comes amid a court battle over the White House's decision to bar CNN, Politico, and MS NOW from pool coverage, which led those outlets to restrict their own pool reporting in response. Critics say the investigation represents a further effort by the administration to pressure news organizations it views as adversarial, adding a new legal front to the existing White House media ban lawsuit.