The Trump administration has officially ended the longstanding practice of allowing the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) to dictate which media outlets receive access to key White House press events. Instead, the White House press team will now directly oversee press pool rotations, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Tuesday, marking a major shift away from legacy media dominance.

A group of DC-based journalists, the White House Correspondents' Association, has long dictated which journalists get to ask questions of the President of the United States.

Not anymore.

Today, I was proud to announce that we are giving the power back to the people.

Moving… pic.twitter.com/PkNui6Qleu

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) February 25, 2025

Leavitt assured reporters that while traditional mainstream outlets will still have a presence, the administration will broaden access to include newer and independent voices that have long been excluded from the elite club of Washington journalism.

“I am proud to announce that we are going to give the power back to the people who read your papers, who watch your television shows, and who listen to your radio stations. Moving forward, the White House press pool will be determined by the White House press team. 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,” Leavitt told reporters during Tuesday’s briefing.

The announcement follows a recent legal battle in which The Associated Press sued the White House after being denied access to the briefing room, Air Force One, and other restricted areas. A federal judge ruled in favor of the Trump administration on Monday, reinforcing the White House’s authority to manage press credentials as it sees fit.

Leavitt pushed back on the idea that the WHCA should have exclusive power over press access, saying the association had long operated as a gatekeeper for establishment media at the expense of a more diverse range of perspectives.

“A select group of D.C.-based journalists should no longer have a monopoly over the privilege of press access at the White House. All journalists, outlets and voices deserve a seat at this highly coveted table,” she said.

WHCA President Eugene Daniels condemned the decision, calling it a threat to the free press.

The White House decision “tears at the independence of a free press in the United States,” Daniels said in a statement. “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.”

Daniels also claimed the WHCA received no prior notice before the change was announced.

The Trump administration has previously taken steps to increase access for non-traditional media, including the introduction of a “new media seat” in the briefing room. On Tuesday, the digital outlet Semafor was among those granted access.

The dispute between the White House and The Associated Press deepened last week when AP reporters were barred from the Oval Office and Air Force One after refusing to use the White House’s preferred name for a geographic region.

“The Associated Press continues to ignore the lawful geographic name change of the Gulf of America. This decision is not just divisive, but it also exposes the Associated Press’ commitment to misinformation. While their right to irresponsible and dishonest reporting is protected by the First Amendment, it does not ensure their privilege of unfettered access to limited spaces, like the Oval Office and Air Force One,” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich wrote on X.

With this latest move, the Trump administration has solidified its stance that press access should not be dictated by legacy media institutions but rather distributed fairly among a broader range of outlets.