Legacy Media Flips Out After White House Takes Control Of Press Pool

The White House on Tuesday announced that it’s taking control of which news outlets are allowed into the press pool, and will no longer allow the White House Correspondents’ Association to act as gatekeepers. The move paves the way for independent outlets to participate in the press pool – a small group of reporters that travel with and cover the president’s daily activities.

“It’s beyond time the White House press pool reflects the media habits of the American people in 2025,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who added that the goal is to give new or alternative media companies greater access to the administration, while continuing to allow certain “legacy” outlets to be in rotation.

“Legacy outlets who have participated in the press pool for decades will still be allowed to join … but we will also be offering the privilege to well-deserving outlets, who have never been allowed to share in this awesome responsibility,” she said.

@PressSec announces changes to the “press pool” that covers President Trump:

“For decades, a group of D.C.-based journalists — the @WHCA — has long dictated which journalists get to ask questions of @POTUS in these most intimate spaces. Not anymore.” pic.twitter.com/fHd5Wkm3nE

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 25, 2025

The move comes after a federal judge denied a request by the Associated Press (AP) to force the White House to allow it access to the Oval Office and Air Force One.

In fact, the judge – Trevor McFadden, slammed AP in his ruling – suggesting they have no constitutional right to “special media access.”

“It feels a little odd that the White House is bound by certain decisions that this private organization is making,” said McFadden.

According to Eugene Daniels, president of the WHCA and Politico reporter, slammed the move – telling Axios that it “suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the president.”

You mean like this?

I’m old enough to remember when the Biden White House revoked 442 reporters’ press credentials

…and the WHCA responded with an “officially noncommittal stance” pic.twitter.com/y5F23BI1zd

— John Hasson (@SonofHas) February 25, 2025

According to the aggrieved Daniels, the move “tears at the independence of a free press in the United States,” adding “In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps.”

The NY Times was also triggered by the move – calling it “the latest in a string of aggressive efforts by the Trump administration to erode the access and influence of major news organizations that cover the White House.”

Cry harder…

One White House adviser told Axios: “The AP and the White House Correspondents Association wanted to f–k around. Now it’s finding out time.”

Excellent decision. The WHCA assignments in the briefing room and gate keeping in the press pool dramatically restrict access to irrelevant legacy media outlets and dramatically skew the type of questions to be asked in limited press availabilities with the President https://t.co/rok4czYhKv

— Saagar Enjeti (@esaagar) February 25, 2025

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