On Feb. 25, the White House announced that the press pool would no longer be controlled by the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), but by the White House press team instead.
Why is this such a big deal and what does it mean for journalists?
The press pool is a group of correspondents, photographers and a television crew, who rotate regularly and are responsible for covering the President of the United States. The White House Correspondents” Association (WHCA) was established in 1914 by a group of journalists and has managed the press pool since the 1950s.
“Moving forward, the White House press pool will be determined by the White House press team,” Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said. “Legacy outlets who have participated in the press pool for decades will still be allowed to join, fear not. But we will also be offering the privilege to well-deserving outlets who have never been allowed to share in this awesome responsibility.”
So far, the Associated Press (AP) has been removed from the press pool for refusing to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
“The Gulf of Mexico has carried that name for more than 400 years,” the Associated Press said in a statement regarding the name change. “The Associated Press will refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen. As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences.”
The AP also noted in their statement that the name change does not have to be recognized by Mexico or other countries, as Trump’s order “only carries authority within the United States.”
Three reporters from Reuters, an international news agency, also were denied access to the White House.
In terms of who has access, television crews from Newsmax, a right-leaning news network, as well as ABC are part of the press pool. Correspondents from Axios, the Blaze and NPR are also included.
The White House also plans to increase access for reporters and networks that are more partial toward the current administration. They are even looking into allowing some social media influencers and podcast hosts to cover the president.
The White House’s decision to take charge of the press pool has raised concerns among various U.S. correspondents.
“This move does not give power back to the people – it gives power to the White House,” Jacqui Heinrich, Fox News senior White House correspondent, said, who took to X to share her thoughts. “WHCA has determined pools for decades because only representatives FROM our outlets can determine resources all those outlets have – such as staffing – in order to get the President’s message out to the largest possible audience, no matter the day or hour.”
Eugene Daniels, president of the WHCA and reporter for Politico responded to the White House’s decision, saying, “This board will not assist any attempt by this administration or any other in taking over independent press coverage of the White House. This move from the White House threatens the independence of a free press in the United States. It suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the president.”
References:
AP style guidance on Gulf of Mexico, Mount McKinley | The Associated Press
What Is the White House Press Pool, and Why Is Trump Seizing Control of It? – The New York Times
White House bars AP, Reuters and other media from covering Trump cabinet meeting | Reuters