White House Limits Reporters’ Access to Upper Press, Citing Security Rules

Overview

• An NSC memorandum says accredited journalists may no longer enter the section housing Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s office without a scheduled appointment.
• Reporters retain access to the Lower Press area adjacent to the White House briefing room.
• The directive was issued to Leavitt and White House Communications Director Steven Cheung.
• Cheung defended the restriction by alleging reporters had ambushed staff and secretly recorded, a claim not supported by publicly shared evidence.
• The change fits a broader contraction of media access since President Trump’s return, alongside new Pentagon rules some outlets, including AFP, declined to accept.