January 28, 2025policy changepress freedommedia relationsexecutive communicationspress freedomexecutive powermedia
Press Secretary Leavitt Seats Podcasters Ahead of Mainstream Press
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt restructured the Brady Briefing Room seating chart, assigning front-row seats to independent podcasters and online media personalities while displacing longtime correspondents from legacy outlets including AP, Reuters, and network television. The White House Correspondents Association condemned the move as an attempt to control press access. Leavitt framed the change as expanding access to new media, marking a deliberate shift in how the administration managed its relationship with the press corps.