White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Declines to Attend WHCA Dinner

Leavitt criticizes the White House Correspondents' Association as an exclusive group and defends the administration's changes to press pool access.

Karoline Leavitt announced she will not attend the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner scheduled for April 26, calling the organization a 'monetized monopoly.'
Leavitt stated that the WHCA has historically excluded new and independent media, prompting the administration to revise press pool access to include a broader range of outlets.
The administration's changes to the 13-member press pool rotation have allowed non-traditional and independent journalists new opportunities to cover the presidency.
WHCA board president Eugene Daniels criticized the changes, arguing they undermine the independence of the press, while the White House views them as modernizing access.
President Trump has not confirmed whether he will attend the dinner, continuing a precedent from his first term of skipping the event.