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The Trump administration is shaking up Washington in more ways than one, and the White House press conferences are no exception. Traditionally, the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) has been in charge of deciding which pool of journalists gets to ask questions of the President of the United States. However, the dynamics of the White House press conferences have now undergone significant restructuring. On February 25th, 2025, the Trump administration announced that the authority to select the press pool will no longer be in the hands of the WHCA but of the administration itself. This statement indicates that legacy media outlets will continue to remain in the press pool, but the White House press team will bring in new voices to join the White House press conferences at their own discretion (C-SPAN 2025).

This bombshell announcement blindsided the WHCA, prompting them to issue a statement moments after the announcement, proclaiming that “the White House did not give the WHCA board a heads up or have any discussions” regarding the announcement. Eugene Daniels, the President of the WHCA, further emphasized that “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. In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps” (Thomma 2025). This move follows the administration's decision to limit the Associated Press from accessing the White House and Air Force One after its refusal to label the body of water off the coast of Louisiana the Gulf of America. The AP has argued that this is a direct violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution, which enshrines the free exercise of the press. However, U.S District Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump-appointed judge, denied the AP’s request for a temporary injunction restoring its access to the Oval Office, Air Force One, and events held at the White House (Goudsward 2025). This decision further underscores how the administration is attempting to exert control over the media and undermining the freedom of the press.

This development is especially consequential since the administration now has the authority to decide who participates in the press pool. Furthermore, it may serve as a red flag to other media outlets that the White House press team may decide to restrict access to certain media outlets if they do not conform to the administration's agenda. The decision made by the White House to take control over who gets to be in the press pool is a bold testament to its willingness to reshape the relationships between the government and the press. This change will now set a precedent for how press conferences and future relations between the press and government will be held. Within its first 100 days, it is clear that the Trump administration is well on its way to delivering on its promise of shaking up Washington.

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References

C-SPAN. (2025, February 25). White House Daily Briefing. C-SPAN.org; C-SPAN.

Goudsward, A. (2025, February 24). US judge to hear AP challenge to Trump’s ban over use of Gulf of Mexico name. Reuters.

Thomma, S. (2025, February 25). WHCA Statement on White House Announcement on Press Pool | White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA). White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA). ��