The White House announced that it will change the tradition of allowing a group of independent news organizations to accompany the president at his events and press conferences. Instead, White House officials will select which media outlets will be able to closely cover President Donald Trump on a regular basis.
According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, this decision will include rotating the traditional media of the group and incorporating some streaming services. Leavitt described this change as a modernization of the press group, which will make it more inclusive and allow for the restoration of access for the American people who elected Trump.
However, this move has raised concerns among media experts, who point out that the president is choosing which journalists he will allow to cover him. This action raises issues related to the First Amendment and press freedom, as the White House press team will decide who has privileged access to events in places like Air Force One and the Oval Office.
Experts on the subject have expressed their concerns about this change, arguing that it represents a dangerous move for democracy, as it allows the president to select who reports on the executive branch, ignoring that it is the American people who fund the operation of the White House. Furthermore, they highlight that this new approach threatens the independence of a free press in the United States.
Organizations like the Committee to Protect Journalists have criticized this decision, stating that it is a drastic change in the way the public receives information about their government. Bruce D. Brown, the group's president, stated that the White House press group exists to serve the public, not the presidency, emphasizing that in a free country, those in power should not be able to choose their own press group.
