Trump Admin Shifts Media Pool, Restricts Access For Legacy Outlets While Permitting Access To Independent Outlets

The White House has implemented a new media access system that allows it to select which outlets cover President Donald Trump in certain settings, reducing the traditional role of major wire services. Newsmax and Blaze Media replaced the Associated Press and Reuters in the press pool, while Axios took HuffPost’s slot. Bloomberg News was the only wire service included, breaking with the long-standing practice of daily inclusion for AP, Reuters, and Bloomberg. Editors from the three wire services released a joint statement criticizing the move, calling it a threat to press freedom and the public’s access to independent reporting.  White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the decision, stating the new system will include both legacy outlets and those previously excluded.