(FreePressBeacon.com) – In a move that consolidates power and reshapes media access, the White House’s Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced a significant policy shift on February 25, 2025.
See the tweet below!
The White House now controls which media outlets form part of the press pool, a task previously managed by the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA).
This change raises concerns about transparency and potential government overreach in press coverage.
The White House has announced it will decide which media outlets can join the press pool covering President Trump, a crucial role that traditionally resided with WHCA.
This alteration means the administration can now select journalists who report from the briefing room.
Critics argue this change threatens the independence of journalism and restricts diverse viewpoints.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the decision by stating it aligns with the evolving media habits of the American public in 2025, emphasizing the inclusion of newer and alternative media outlets.
She assured that legacy media would continue to participate but with new voices welcomed into the fold.
The response from critics was stark, with many fearing it would reduce press freedom and accountability.
“Moving forward, the White House press pool will be determined by the White House press team. Legacy media outlets who have been here for years will still participate in the pool, but new voices are going to be welcomed in as well,” said Leavitt, cited by USA Today.
The Associated Press (AP) has been barred from certain White House spaces after refusing to adopt Trump’s renaming of the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America.”
The AP claims this exclusion violates its First and Fifth Amendment rights.
With a federal judge declining to restore access promptly, the AP faces a long wait until the hearing on March 20.
The administration asserts its right to control media access, further fueling tensions between the government and independent journalism.
WHCA criticized this move as detrimental to the independence of the press, suggesting it grants the government undue influence over which journalists cover the president.
The association, which has expanded membership to include emerging media outlets, was not consulted about this change.
Eugene Daniels of WHCA condemned the decision, asserting the administration attempted to handpick its press corps, compromising a core tenet of democracy.
“This move tears at the independence of a free press in the United States. It suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the president. In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps,” Daniels said.
The White House said Wednesday its officials “will decide” which news outlets can regularly cover President Donald Trump up close, breaking from a tradition where an independently chosen press pool follows the president and holds him accountable on behalf of the American public. pic.twitter.com/kNNu01TN6M
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 25, 2025
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