White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended new media access rules at an Axios event, claiming the policy expands press participation.
Trump Administrationās Media Access Strategy
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the Trump administrationās approach to media access during an Axios event, arguing that changes to the White House press pool were intended to broaden access rather than restrict journalists.
Speaking with Axios co-founder Mike Allen in Washington, Leavitt rejected criticism that the administration was limiting traditional news organizations. She argued that the White House should give more outlets and journalists an opportunity to cover President Donald Trump rather than allowing a small group of established organizations to maintain exclusive access to certain presidential events. The discussion centered partly on the Associated Press, whose access to White House events had been curtailed amid a dispute over the administrationās terminology for the Gulf of Mexico. Allen pointed to the APās global reach and noted that one of its photographers, Evan Vucci, captured the widely recognized image of Trump following the 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. He asked whether changes to press access could result in important moments being missed by major news organizations.