Trump’s plan to remove journalists from White House discussed

An initiative by U.S. President Donald Trump to shut down the press center inside the White House, move journalists out of the residence and restore the historic James S. Brady Press Briefing Room to its former use as an indoor swimming pool has returned to Washington’s political agenda.

Operative Information Center-OMM, citing The New York Times, reports that Donald Trump called for the press corps to be removed entirely from the White House’s main building during a closed-door meeting in the Oval Office in August. Former press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who left her post on August 27, reportedly refrained from carrying out the president’s repeatedly voiced request because of logistical and political risks.

The current briefing room was built on the site of an indoor swimming pool commissioned in 1933 by former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt to help treat his legs, which had been affected by polio. In the 1970s, the pool was covered over and converted into a briefing room for the media.

The White House leadership is considering moving journalists to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, located near the residence. However, presidential advisers are approaching the plan cautiously, citing logistical challenges and the risk of a political clash with the media. The proposal was also raised during Trump’s first presidency (2016, 2017) and the 2024 transition, but was shelved after strong opposition.

Restrictions at the White House press office have tightened as Trump’s reaction to what he describes as biased media coverage has intensified. Since last autumn, journalists have been barred from entering the Upper Press area, where the press secretary’s offices are located, without prior official approval.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung commented on the issue, saying the American public had lost trust in traditional media because of reports based on false and unreliable sources. “All options are on the table. An official announcement will be made at the appropriate time,” he said.

At the end of last month, Donald Trump shared photographs on his social media account of the current briefing room, captioned “Fake News,” and the indoor pool he plans to restore, captioned “Roosevelt Pool,” signaling his intention.

At present, the James S. Brady room has only 49 seats for more than 1,000 accredited journalists. Despite cramped working conditions and inadequate infrastructure, Washington correspondents are firmly opposed to being moved outside the White House building. They say physical removal from the residence would sharply limit their access to information and set a negative precedent for future administrations.

A similar initiative was proposed by first lady Hillary Clinton during Bill Clinton’s presidency in 1993, but was set aside after widespread protests.