White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced a major shift in the press briefing room Tuesday, stripping the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) of its control over the press pool. Moving forward, the White House press office will determine which outlets participate, opening access to new media voices while maintaining legacy outlets in rotation.
Leavitt stated that for decades, a select group of D.C.-based journalists dictated press access, but that era is now over. She emphasized that the press operation should reflect the media landscape of 2025, not 1925, and declared that all journalists deserve an opportunity to report from the White House. She argued that the decision restores power to the American people by ensuring broader press access.
WHCA President Eugene Daniels criticized the move, calling it a threat to the independence of the free press. He warned that allowing the government to select journalists could compromise media objectivity. Daniels also noted that WHCA had expanded its membership over the years to include new outlets, expressing frustration that the association was not given prior notice of the change.
The announcement follows the White House’s legal victory over The Associated Press regarding its decision to bar the outlet from the press pool, Oval Office, and Air Force One. The AP was penalized after refusing to refer to the Gulf of Mexico by its new Trump-designated name, the Gulf of America. A U.S. District Judge denied the AP’s request for an injunction to restore its access, reinforcing the administration’s authority over press operations.
