Trump’s White House is shaking up the media landscape with a bold move that puts the administration in charge of the press briefing room seating chart. The historic change means CNN reporters will be forced to sit next to the kind of digital reporters they frequently lie about.
At a glance:
• White House is taking control of press briefing room seating from the White House Correspondents’ Association
• The new seating chart will include influencers, podcasters, and digital media alongside traditional outlets
• Changes aim to reflect modern media consumption habits rather than maintaining legacy media dominance
• Currently, few right-leaning outlets have designated seats except for Fox News, The Daily Caller, and New York Post
• Critics worry the move could undermine press independence while supporters see it as necessary modernization
Trump Administration Modernizes White House Press Access
The White House plans to implement its own seating chart for reporters in the briefing room. This role has traditionally been managed by the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA), and the change represents a significant shift in control from reporters to the administration.
The restructuring aims to reflect modern media consumption metrics, giving space to digital outlets, print, television, and newer platforms. The administration’s strategic move seeks to ensure that digital and new media reporters are positioned alongside traditional media representatives, in an acknowledgement of how Americans now consume news.
New Media Given Equal Footing With Legacy Outlets
The plan includes “new media” outlets like The Daily Wire, Axios, Semafor, and various influencers who have substantial online audiences. Legacy media organizations will have less prominence in the new arrangement, reflecting their declining influence and the administration’s focus on reaching Americans through diverse channels.
“We want to balance disruption with responsibility,” a senior administration official told reporters about the changes. The official explained that the goal isn’t merely to secure favorable coverage but to honestly reflect media consumption.
Critics Express Concerns About Press Independence
The WHCA has expressed concerns about the White House taking control of both seating arrangements and pool reporting assignments. WHCA President and POLITICO journalist Eugene Daniels stated that the organization “cannot ensure that the reports filed by government-selected poolers will be held to the same standards that we have had in place for decades.”
When the White House announced in February it would take over pool rotations, Daniels claimed the move “tears at the independence of a free press in the United States” and “suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the President.”
The move comes as trust in mass media continues to decline, with many Americans turning to alternative sources for news and information.
