The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that it is seizing full control over which journalists have access to the press pool covering the president, taking the power from the organization that has represented journalists who cover the White House for over 100 years.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt informed reporters of the change during a briefing, saying that the Trump administration will now determine who is allowed to be part of the press gaggle that covers Trump in places where there are limited spots, like the Oval Office or Air Force One.
In the past, the makeup of the pool has been overseen by the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), an independent group headed by journalists elected by fellow members of the media.
The White House’s move came in direct retaliation to the WCHA after it filed a lawsuit against the White House for discriminating against The Associated Press. Earlier this month, the White House revoked AP’s access to the pool because the publication said that it will not adhere to Trump’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico since the change is not recognized by other countries, while still acknowledging the “Gulf of America” terminology.
Leavitt claimed that the change was made in order to give opportunities to outlets previously denied a spot in the pool — but the WHCA and commentators immediately noted that the move is actually an attempt to control press coverage and skew it in the White House’s favor.
“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,” said Eugene Daniels, WHCA President and Politico journalist, in a statement. “In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps.”
Prior to this announcement, the White House has already stuffed the briefing room full of people working for far right and pro-Trump outlets, with ties to neo-Nazis and white supremacists. Reporters have observed Leavitt calling on these reporters for questions more often than those from other outlets, who then go on to ask softball questions or espouse outright praise for the administration.
A spot on the press pool allows journalists direct access to the president to ask questions, playing a crucial role in shaping coverage of executive orders and actions. Without journalists to press Trump on actions he’s taking, the media could become less critical, and runs the risk of becoming a public relations mouthpiece for the administration, rather than producing independent news coverage.
During Trump’s first term, he also retaliated against the press by revoking the White House credentials of CNN’s Jim Acosta after he angered Trump by questioning the president’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and bringing up the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election. Acosta’s pass was restored after a federal judge ruled in his favor.
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