White House Shakes Up Press Pool Access Following Court Order

The Trump administration is pushing back after a federal judge ruled that the Associated Press must be granted access to White House events. Instead of complying directly, the administration is reshaping the rules of the game.

According to CNN, a new White House policy will eliminate a longstanding press pool position traditionally reserved for wire services like AP, Reuters, and Bloomberg. That spot will now go to a print reporter, signaling a notable shift in how access to President Donald Trump is managed.

Historically, the White House Correspondents’ Association handled press pool assignments. But that changed in February when Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt assumed responsibility for managing pool access—initially with little impact on day-to-day press dynamics. Now, though, that’s no longer the case.

The change means “AP, Reuters and Bloomberg are no longer guaranteed spots,” with one fewer position allocated to wire services. The White House stated that “outlets will be eligible for participation in the Pool, irrespective of the substantive viewpoint expressed by an outlet.”

One source of friction between the Trump administration and AP has been the outlet's insistence on calling the body of water along the southern U.S. the "Gulf of Mexico," rejecting Trump's preferred term, the "Gulf of America."

As AP reported, a memo indicated that the Trump press secretary “shall retain day-to-day discretion to determine composition of the pool.” However, there are conflicting accounts between CNN and AP regarding how the new policy will be implemented, and those discrepancies remain unresolved.

Under the revised system, “roughly three dozen reporters will rotate for two regular slots,” according to AP. The move has drawn criticism from the news agency. Lauren Easton, speaking on behalf of AP, emphasized the role wire services play in delivering information nationwide: “The wire services represent thousands of news organizations across the U.S. and the world over… Our coverage is used by local newspapers and television stations in all 50 states to inform their communities.”

Despite the pushback, AP acknowledged Trump’s unusual level of press engagement compared to former President Joe Biden. “Cramped-quarters events, particularly in the Oval Office, are some of his favorite places to talk — rendering the new access policy all the more impactful,” the outlet noted.

Trump’s team argues that the AP has historically enjoyed special privileges, but that era is over. “No other news organization in the United States receives the level of guaranteed access previously bestowed upon the AP,” the White House said. “The AP may have grown accustomed to its favored status, but the Constitution does not require that such status endure in perpetuity.”

The administration also confirmed plans to appeal the judge’s decision mandating equal access for AP.