White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday announced the Trump administration will now decide which members of the media will have access to the White House press pool, overturning longstanding policy of the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) having that responsibility.
“The White House Correspondents’ Association has long dictated which journalists get to ask questions of the president of the United States in these most intimate spaces. Not anymore,” Leavitt said in a press briefing. “I am proud to announce that we are going to give the power back to the people who read your papers, who watch your television shows, and who listen to your radio stations.”
🚨 @PressSec announces changes to the "press pool" that covers President Trump:
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 25, 2025
"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
“Moving forward, the White House press pool will be determined by the White House press team,” she added. “Legacy outlets who have participated in the press pool for decades will still be allowed to join, fear not, but we will also be offering the privilege to well-deserving outlets who have never been allowed to share in this awesome responsibility.”
Naturally, the legacy media went ballistic over the news they would no longer have a monopoly on which members of the media can participate in the White House briefings.
Even Fox News’ White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich took issue with the development, claiming it somehow undermines democracy.
This move does not give the power back to the people – it gives power to the White House. The WHCA is democratically elected by the full-time White House press corps.
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) February 25, 2025
WHCA has determined pools for decades because only representatives FROM our outlets can determine resources all… https://t.co/GeGrckDYVt
Heinrich was quickly blasted on social media over her short-sighted take, with critics noting that the Trump administration was elected by the people, while the WHCA was elected by fellow members of the (mostly liberal) press.
Are you saying it gives power to the White House, who was elected by the people, instead of the WHCA, who was elected by the press?
— Ryan Tyson (@ryan_tyson) February 25, 2025
It’s safe to say that you guys failed, as a conglomerate, at your job. Refusal to cover Biden’s mental decline was obvious to everyone with two eyeballs, and two ears. The never ending trough of coordinated slop that gets asked by the press is not a free press. It’s propaganda.
— P.T. Ward (@HTWardish) February 25, 2025
The WHCA was a political organization that aligned itself ideologically with the DNC.
— Jeff Carlson (@themarketswork) February 25, 2025
We also have this new thing called the internet that does a surprisingly good job of getting the President's message out to the largest possible audience.
Independent journalists were ignored by the last administration. When did you speak out on their behalf?
— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) February 25, 2025
We elected Trump, giving him the ability to control the White House.
— Martin Walsh (@martinwalsh__) February 25, 2025
Americans are tired of hearing from out of touch, DC elites who work for news outlets nobody trusts anymore to be the ones who get to decide who can ask the president a question
The WHCA & legacy media have lost all credibility and trust with the American people. They fundamentally treat Republican administrations differently from Democrat administrations. They've pushed ideological narratives & ignored entrenched DC corruption. https://t.co/rzItWWPmBE
— ❌(((Douglas B.))) 🇺🇸 (@dbrin62) February 25, 2025
Watch the full press briefing: