Although the White House determines who is eligible for credentials, the independent White House Correspondents’ Association decides who is seated and in which positions.
President-elect Donald Trump is looking to shake up the Brady Press Briefing Room by pushing out hostile legacy media outlets and opening the doors for non-traditional media like podcasts and internet-based news outlets.
This revelation came from Donald Trump Jr., who while speaking with Michael Knowles, who asked if “[national press secretary] Karoline Leavitt is looking at the new press briefing room chart, [if] maybe it’s time to reorder that chart and maybe take away some people’s seats.”’
“I literally had this conversation with — I was flying back, I was on the plane with my father, I think it was coming back from the SpaceX launch with Elon [Musk] last week. And we were talking about the podcast world and some of our friends and Rogan and guys like you,” Trump Jr. responded, according to Breitbart. According to Don Jr., his father responded, “‘that’s a great idea, Don’…. So that may be something in the works.”
The White House briefing room has limited seating for just 49 credentialed press members. Although the White House determines who is eligible for credentials, the independent White House Correspondents’ Association decides who is seated and in which positions. During his first term, President Trump temporarily revoked CNN reporter Jim Acosta's access to the briefing room. However, after CNN initiated legal action, the White House reversed its decision and allowed Acosta to return to the briefings.
During his campaign, Trump as well as his Vice President-elect JD Vance appeared on numerous podcasts such as the widely watched Joe Rogan Experience. The Rogan later gave his endorsement to Trump after Elon Musk appeared on his podcast. Trump's youngest son, Barron, was "very involved in recommending a number of the podcasts that we should do," Trump press strategist Jason Miller said in October. "I got to tell you, hats off to the young man. Every single recommendation he’s had has turned out to be absolute ratings gold that’s broke the internet."
In the wake of the election, Musk, who is co-heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) declared to users of X, "The reality of this election was plain to see on X, while most legacy media lied relentlessly to the public. You are the media now. Please post your thoughts & observations on X, correct others when wrong and we will have at least one place in the world where you can come to find the truth."
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