The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) will no longer oversee the allocation of prime access to the press briefing room. Instead, the responsibility will shift to the White House press team, under the leadership of Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, effectively dismantling what many perceive as the mainstream media’s dominance in the West Wing.

For many years, the WHCA has been the arbiter of which reporters and news organizations receive preferential seating and access to White House events, a power that has often favored established media outlets. The administration’s decision seeks to establish a more equitable environment, allowing newer and alternative media outlets the opportunity to cover White House activities.

Leavitt emphasized that major television networks would continue to have access to presidential events and daily briefings, but the administration aims to expand access beyond the traditional media elite.

“I am proud to announce that we are going to return the power to the individuals who read your publications, watch your television programs, and listen to your radio broadcasts,” Leavitt stated to reporters on Tuesday. “Going forward, the composition of the White House press pool will be determined by the White House press team.”

“Legacy media outlets that have been part of the press pool for decades will still be permitted to participate, so there is no need for concern. However, we will also extend this privilege to deserving outlets that have previously been excluded from this significant responsibility.”

Leavitt further remarked, “A select group of journalists based in D.C. should no longer hold a monopoly on press access at the White House. Every journalist, outlet, and voice deserves a place at this highly sought-after table.”

The WHCA was established in 1914 to advocate for journalists’ rights to directly observe and report on the president’s activities. It has historically played a crucial role in managing the press corps’ daily access to White House events and briefings. One of the most prominent events organized by the WHCA is the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

Eugene Daniels, the president of the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), expressed his apprehensions on MSNBC regarding the trustworthiness of pool reports following the new management under President Trump’s administration.

“For many years, the WHCA established a framework for standards concerning length and accuracy that the American public could rely on. These standards, developed by professionals in the field, were universally understood, allowing for confidence in the reports disseminated,” Daniels stated.

“Unfortunately, that trust can no longer be assured,” he added. “Ultimately, the standards will now be determined by those who are the subjects of the coverage.”

“This issue transcends the WHCA; it is fundamentally about ensuring that the American populace can rely on the information provided by these press pools and receive an authentic perspective on the individuals governing their nation,” he concluded.

Recently, the Trump administration restricted Associated Press journalists from accessing significant locations, including the Oval Office and Air Force One. This decision arose from the AP’s refusal to comply with the administration’s request to change the name of the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America.”