Overview

• The White House has replaced the traditional fixed press pool with a larger rotation of approximately 30 media outlets, removing permanent spots for major agencies like Reuters, AP, and Bloomberg.
• Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt now determines daily which journalists are granted close access to the president, a move criticized for undermining press freedom.
• The Associated Press was previously excluded from the press pool after refusing to adopt the administration-mandated term 'Golf von Amerika' for the Gulf of Mexico.
• Reuters and AP have voiced concerns that the changes restrict public access to independent and accurate reporting on government activities, potentially threatening democratic principles.
• The restructuring reflects the Trump administration's broader efforts to exert greater control over media coverage of presidential communications.