White House to take over press pool amid ‘Gulf of America’ fight with AP

The White House said Tuesday that it would take over which outlets are allowed into the press pool covering the president, wrestling such control from the White House Correspondents’ Association.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said moving forward, the White House press pool, a small group of reporters that travels with and cover the president’s daily activities, will now be determined by administration officials. Traditionally, the press pool is coordinated by the Correspondents’ Association, which White House officials across multiple administrations have traditionally given deference to.

The goal, Leavitt said, is to give new or alternative media companies greater access to the administration while still keeping certain “legacy” outlets in the rotation.

Leavitt’s announcement comes as the White House continues to bar The Associated Press from access to President Trump in the Oval Office, on Air Force One, and in other spaces where typically only the pool gathers, due to lack to space.

Leavitt celebrated the judge’s ruling Tuesday and said the White House wants “more outlets and new outlets to cover the press pool.”

Legacy outlets such as The New York Times and wire services will still be allowed to join the pool, she said, but the White House would work to make sure “well-deserving outlets who have never been allowed to share in this awesome responsibility.”