The White House is making a big change to how the press room operates. For the first time, the White House will control where reporters sit during press briefings. This breaks decades of tradition where the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) decided the seating. Karoline Leavitt, the 27-year-old White House press secretary, is leading this change. Many media companies will be upset by this new rule. Karoline Leavitt moves quickly to implement these changes.
New Seating Plan Shakes Up Tradition
In the past, the WHCA decided which reporters sat in the front row. Big media companies like CNN, NBC, CBS, and ABC were usually in the front row. But now, the White House will make those decisions. These news companies may have to sit farther back. The White House says this change is necessary to reflect how the media works today. The briefing room is small, with only 49 seats. So, the new plan will shuffle where reporters sit.
Digital Media Gets More Space
The White House is focusing more on digital media. They want to make room for newer outlets like Punchbowl News and Axios. Some online influencers may also get seats. This is part of the White House’s plan to update how the press room works. They say the media landscape has changed, and it is no longer just about the big, traditional media outlets. News outlets must show they have an audience to earn a seat at the table. Karoline Leavitt moves forward with this bold plan.
Changes Follow Trump’s Media Struggles
This seating change is part of a bigger shift that started during Trump’s time in office. Trump often had a tense relationship with the press. In February, the Associated Press (AP), a respected news agency, was banned from the White House press pool. The AP refused to follow a new rule set by Trump, calling the Gulf of Mexico “Gulf of America.” The AP went to court to fight the ban, but a judge has not yet allowed them back into the press pool.
WHCA’s Quiet Reaction
The WHCA supports the AP in its court case, but this may only make the White House more determined. Some WHCA members have suggested that the White House press secretary should be in charge of the WHCA. While the idea has not been put into practice, it shows how much the White House wants to change things. The WHCA has not commented much on these changes, and its president, Eugene Daniels, has stayed silent about the situation.
Traditional Media Faces More Competition
White House officials say traditional media outlets will still have seats. But their spots may not be in the front row. The plan is to give everyone a fair chance while balancing the disruption. News companies will need to prove they have an audience to keep their spots. The White House says it wants to create a more equal media environment, where all types of media get a seat at the table. Karoline Leavitt moves with determination to ensure this change.
Leavitt’s Bold Move to Reshape the Briefing Room
Karoline Leavitt is at the center of these changes. She is pushing hard to reshape how the press interacts with the White House. Critics say her moves are meant to sideline traditional media outlets that have often clashed with the Trump administration. Many reporters who used to sit in the front row might now find themselves sitting farther back. The White House press room battle is the latest chapter in a long fight between Trump and the media.
A New Approach to Media Access
With Leavitt in charge of communications, the White House is taking a more strategic and combative approach to the press. She is unafraid to break with tradition if it helps the administration’s goals. Leavitt is known for staying on message and defending Trump’s actions strongly. The fight for control over the briefing room is just one part of the ongoing struggle between the Trump administration and the press corps as Karoline Leavitt moves forward with her plans.
