The Trump administration’s controversial decision to assume control over the White House press pool has heightened debate and discourse over the future of press freedom and government transparency, amid demonstrations from coast to coast to protect democracy.
“We now find ourselves having to defend a free press in a nation where the very First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees a free press,” Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and “1619 Project” creator Nikole Hannah-Jones said on Thursday while addressing attendees at the “Journalism Under Fire: Guarding Against Threats to Our Democracy” summit at Howard University.
In a landmark ruling on April 8, U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden ordered the Trump administration to restore the Associated Press (AP) access to the White House press pool.
The administration had previously removed AP after it refused to comply with a directive to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” The court deemed the administration’s decision a violation of First Amendment protections. The ruling marked a significant victory for press advocates.
However, days after the court’s ruling, the Trump administration also restricted access for two other wire service, Bloomberg and Reuters.
Trump’s moves against the press pool have disrupted a century-old system managed by the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), which had ensured equitable access for media outlets to presidential events.
For over 100 years, the WHCA selected which journalists could participate in the press pool — a system designed to maintain fairness and transparency, while coordinating coverage in small spaces such as the Oval Office or Air Force One.
Often described as the Fourth Estate of democracy, the press serves a key role in informing the public, and this shift raises concerns about how such changes might impact longstanding norms around press freedom.
Sonya Ross, the founder of BlackWomenUnmuted.com and a former White House correspondent, underlined the constitutional duty of the press. “Do we still have Fourth Estate responsibility in this country?” Ross, a past WHCA board member, asked rhetorically. “An obligation to perform our constitutionally protected duty to inform the governed masses on the activities of the governors who have a direct impact on their lives? Are we still doing that or what?”
Hannah-Jones, founder of the Center for Journalism & Democracy at Howard, says that the relationship between journalism and democracy is inseparable.
“Not only does democracy require a free press, but a free press requires democracy,” she said. “We must defend it, or we cannot exist.”
However, the Trump administration has argued that the WHCA had become an exclusive gatekeeper, favoring elite outlets. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Feb. 25 that the administration would begin directly selecting reporters to increase access for “new and diverse outlets.”
Among those who applied to the “new media” press corps is political and mental health advocate Abiola Agoro (@ahbeeolah), known for her viral political commentary aimed at younger audiences.
“Applying for credentials in this new age means that for the impact of applying to be effective, we have to fulfill the call for fast and accurate information,” Agoro said. “As of now, I haven’t heard back from anyone, but Trump and his administration are going to do exactly what is expected.”
While the administration has not released an official list of new media outlets accepted into the pool, the move has been met with both enthusiasm and skepticism. Supporters view it as overdue inclusion. At the same time, press experts argue it could be an attempt to crowd out traditional watchdog journalism, and Trump also wants to defund public television and radio.
Howard professor and veteran journalist Jennifer Thomas discussed press suppression and how it is unfolding across the United States during a “Summer of Democracy Teach-In” last Thursday at the university. She highlighted the ongoing tensions between the White House and the Associated Press, noting that the AP’s exclusion from key press access has created opportunities for individuals aligned with Trump to gain increased access to the press pool and the president.
“Those who, before, in the first administration, were blocked on social media are now invited to a front seat in the room,” said Thomas, a former executive producer at CNN.
“So, what happens when those things happen? We’re not able to get the real stories of what’s going on, and that’s the first step. If we know we can keep the press silent, then that means they can do other initiatives.”
The Trump administration counters criticism by asserting the reform expands inclusion. “We are going to give the power back to the people who read your papers, who watch your television shows,” Leavitt said in her briefing.
Leavitt claims legacy media monopolized access for too long. However, specialty press offices under previous administrations, including Presidents Biden and Obama, have provided White House access to smaller newsrooms and independent journalists around the country.
“Not only does democracy require a free press, but a free press requires democracy. We must defend it, or we cannot exist.”
Nikole Hannah-Jones, founder, Center for Journalism & Democracy at Howard University
“Restrictions on White House media coverage only hurt the American people who rely on unfiltered journalism to stay informed and make decisions critical to their lives,” Eugene Daniels, WHCA president and senior Washington correspondent for MSNBC, said in a statement last week.
“The Associated Press, Bloomberg News and Reuters play an integral role in coverage of the presidency and should be allowed their traditional spots in the pool,” Daniels said. “Their ability to share news instantly with millions of readers and other smaller news organizations who can’t afford to be at the White House is unmatched.”
Agoro, a guest on The Shade Room’s new political debate show, “TSR Politics,” expressed distrust of the administration and its true intentions for the press.
“Trump and his administration revitalized a new Republican wave Americans haven’t seen since the ’60s,” she said. “I’m not surprised he attempted to get rid of AP and the WHCA, because he is following the precedent of problematic Republican presidents of the past.”
In a Gallup poll released earlier this year on Americans’ confidence in U.S. institutions, all branches of government, big business and the media are at the bottom of the list.
Trump’s approval ratings show a steady decline since taking office on Jan. 20, dropping from 52% to 45%, according to a New York Times analysis.
Amid attacks on the press by Trump and others over the last decade, public trust in traditional news outlets continues to erode, Gallup studies show. Americans who trust newspapers, TV and radio “a great deal” or “a fair amount” has declined from 53% to 31% since 1997.
Nevertheless, concerns over press freedom are growing louder as legal battles and executive interference escalate.
Agoro urges advocacy groups, legal experts and the people to remain vigilant. “In one of my videos, I said people are shocked that they picked up a snake and got bit,” she said. “Donald Trump is just the latest figure in this position abusing power.”
“As a people, we have to be unafraid to ask questions and understand our purpose for reporting or seeking out news in times of uncertainty first.”
Vida Poyner-Chillious is a reporter for HUNewsService.com.
Trump to Skip WHCA Dinner President Barack Obama and comedian Seth Meyers roasted Donald Trump when he attended the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in 2011. Trump hasn’t been back since then. He skipped the event during his first term and does not plan to attend this Saturday’s dinner. Billed as a celebration of the First Amendment, WHCA states, “the dinner traditionally draws the president and first lady as well as many other senior government officials and members of the news media.” (Photo: NBC News screenshot)
