White House to Handpick Press Pool, Breaking Tradition

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White House to Handpick Press Pool, Breaking Tradition \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The Trump administration announced it will directly determine which news outlets have regular access to cover the president, ending the longstanding practice of an independent press pool. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt framed the move as modernization, saying it will rotate traditional outlets and include streaming services. The announcement comes a day after a federal judge declined to immediately restore AP’s access, following its lawsuit over being barred from events for refusing to use Trump’s preferred term, “Gulf of America.” The court battle over press freedom is set to continue, with another hearing scheduled for late March.

Trump Administration Reshapes White House Press Access: Quick Looks

White House to Handpick Press Pool: The Trump administration announced it will control which news outlets regularly cover the president, ending the century-old independent selection process.
AP Lawsuit Over Press Access Continues: The Associated Press sued the administration after being barred from presidential events for refusing to adopt Trump’s “Gulf of America” terminology.
Judge Declines Immediate Action: A federal judge refused to immediately reinstate AP’s access but warned that the administration’s legal argument was weak.
Press Secretary Defends Policy Change: Karoline Leavitt claims the shift will “modernize” the press pool, including streaming platforms alongside traditional outlets.
Concerns Over Government-Controlled Media Access: Critics argue that allowing the White House to decide press access undermines journalistic independence and could lead to politically motivated exclusions.
Trump’s History of Press Clashes: The move follows past disputes, including the revocation of CNN reporter Jim Acosta’s credentials during Trump’s first term.
What’s Next? A court hearing in late March will determine the future of press access, while news organizations monitor whether major outlets are excluded.

Deep Look

In a major shift in White House press policy, the Trump administration announced Tuesday that it will now decide which news organizations can regularly cover the president, upending a century-old tradition of independent media oversight.

The decision, revealed by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, follows a high-profile lawsuit filed by The Associated Press (AP) over being excluded from presidential events after refusing to adopt Trump’s “Gulf of America” terminology for the Gulf of Mexico.

This escalation in the administration’s control over press access raises concerns about government interference in journalism, as the White House asserts direct control over which media outlets can closely cover Trump’s presidency.

A Historic Break From Press Independence

For over a century, an independent White House press pool has followed the president—a small group of reporters, photographers, and videographers chosen by media organizations, not the government, to provide coverage on behalf of the public.

Under the new policy, however, the White House itself will determine:

Which news outlets are part of the official press pool.
How access is granted, including rotating traditional outlets.
The inclusion of streaming services alongside established media organizations.

Leavitt defended the move, stating:

“A select group of D.C.-based journalists should no longer have a monopoly of press access at the White House.”

She framed the change as a modernization effort, claiming it would broaden access for “the American people” who elected Trump.

AP’s Legal Challenge and the Battle Over Press Freedom

The policy shift coincides with an ongoing legal fight between the White House and the Associated Press, which sued the administration for blocking its access to presidential events.

The AP argues that its exclusion is retaliation for refusing to comply with Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.”

A federal judge, Trevor N. McFadden, declined to immediately reinstate AP’s access, but warned that the administration’s legal justification was weak:

“Case law in the circuit is uniformly unhelpful to the White House,” McFadden noted.

While the judge ruled that AP had not demonstrated irreparable harm, he urged the administration to reconsider its ban, signaling that the lawsuit could pose significant legal challenges for Trump’s media policy.

A further hearing is scheduled for late March, leaving the fate of press access at the White House uncertain.

Press Pool Controversy: Politics or Press Freedom?

Critics argue that Trump’s new policy undermines the independence of the press, potentially allowing the administration to favor outlets that align with its political agenda while limiting access for critical or investigative journalism.

The shift raises questions about:

Whether the administration will use its authority to exclude major outlets perceived as adversarial.
How the new selection process will function and who will oversee it.
If the policy violates First Amendment protections by granting preferential access to favorable media organizations.

The White House maintains that the move will enhance transparency, but media watchdogs warn it could erode journalistic accountability.

Trump’s History of Clashing With the Press

This is not the first time Trump has challenged press freedom:

During his first term, CNN’s Jim Acosta had his White House press credentials revoked, leading to a lawsuit that forced the administration to restore them.
Trump frequently labeled mainstream media outlets “fake news” and openly attacked journalists during press briefings.
His administration previously explored restricting access for outlets deemed “unfriendly” to his presidency.

With Trump now reshaping media access for his second term, concerns about government control over press coverage are resurfacing.

A Battle Over Language and Executive Authority

The AP lawsuit underscores broader tensions between the Trump administration and the press, particularly regarding:

Trump’s efforts to control language and terminology in media reporting.
The role of independent journalism in holding the White House accountable.
Whether the federal government can dictate editorial decisions by restricting access.

While the AP has recognized Trump’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico in its reporting, it has refused to alter its official style guide, maintaining the internationally recognized name “Gulf of Mexico”.

The AP has acknowledged similar government renaming efforts before, such as:

Trump’s decision to restore the name “Mount McKinley” after it was changed to Denali.
Past renaming of U.S. territories and landmarks under various administrations.

However, the press organization argues that allowing executive orders to dictate journalistic standards sets a dangerous precedent.

What’s Next?

The White House will implement its new press pool selection process, while media organizations monitor how access is granted or restricted.
AP’s lawsuit will proceed, with a key hearing set for late March, which could impact how future administrations handle media access.
Other news outlets may challenge the policy, especially if traditional press organizations are excluded or replaced with more favorable media sources.
Congress or media organizations may push back, potentially leading to legislative efforts to reaffirm independent press rights in White House coverage.

As the Trump administration continues to reshape press relations, the legal battle over media access, government influence, and the role of independent journalism remains far from over.