Trump considers moving White House press corps, denies pool plans
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Reports indicated Trump previously proposed relocating the press corps to former Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in August, though the proposal was not enacted before her departure
- The announcement follows ongoing administrative friction with news organizations, including a recent legal battle over the credentialing and access of reporters from major outlets
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he is considering relocating the White House press corps away from the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, while denying reports suggesting the space would be converted back into an indoor presidential swimming pool.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump addressed recent reporting regarding the briefing facility, stating that while he might move reporters to what he characterised as a "less obnoxious location," he dismissed assertions about reviving the historic pool, writing that he "NEVER even thought to do such a stupid thing!"
Trump’s comments follow a report by The New York Times stating that he had repeatedly discussed moving media operations out of the West Wing, notably pitching the idea to then-White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during an August Oval Office meeting before her departure on August 27.
The proposal follows events last month, when reporters from CNN, MSNBC, and Politico were briefly barred from the White House complex.
A federal judge subsequently ruled the restriction unconstitutional and ordered their access restored, a decision the Trump administration is currently appealing.
