Washington: The Trump Administration has announced that it will allocate seats in the White House press briefing room to representatives from "new media" outlets, including podcasters, social media influencers, and content creators.
This move, spearheaded by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, aims to represent groups that have not previously had a presence in the briefing room.
“Millions of Americans, particularly young people, have shifted away from traditional television and newspapers to consume news through podcasts, blogs, social media, and other independent platforms," Leavitt said on Tuesday during her first daily press briefing.
"Our team must share President Trump’s message widely and adapt the White House to the evolving media landscape of 2025,” Leavitt said. At just 27 years old, Leavitt is the youngest White House press secretary in history.
She invited independent journalists, podcasters, social media influencers, and content creators to apply for White House press credentials through the newly launched website, whitehouse.gov/newmedia.
She also revealed that a front-row seat in the briefing room, traditionally reserved for the press secretary’s staff, will now be designated the “New Media Seat.”
Leavitt’s team will review applications, and credentials will be granted to those who meet the criteria and pass the US Secret Service’s security requirements.
During her first briefing, Leavitt fielded questions from new media representatives, including outlets that rank among the most-viewed news websites in the country but have never had a seat in the briefing room. When asked about the initiative, Leavitt reiterated the administration’s commitment to upholding the First Amendment.
“It’s a fact that Americans, especially young people, are consuming news from a variety of platforms. As the youngest press secretary in history, thanks to President Trump, I take great pride in opening this room to new media voices to ensure the president’s message reaches as many Americans as possible,” she said.
She added, “We will ensure that respected outlets like Axios and Breitbart have a permanent seat in this room every day. We also encourage anyone in the country—whether you’re a TikTok creator, blogger, podcaster, or any other type of content producer—to apply for press credentials if you are producing legitimate news content, regardless of the platform.”
The move marks a significant shift in the White House’s approach to media engagement, reflecting the changing ways Americans access and consume news in the digital age.
Leavitt also emphasised the administration’s commitment to the First Amendment, announcing plans to reinstate press passes for 440 journalists whose credentials were revoked under the previous administration.
“This White House strongly believes in the First Amendment, so we are working diligently to restore press passes to journalists who were wrongly denied access. Additionally, we are opening this briefing room to new media voices that produce news-related content but currently lack representation here,” she explained.
