Overview

• 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.