Trump Plans White House Press Room Seating Changes

The Trump administration plans to assume control of the seating arrangements in the White House briefing room, a task traditionally managed by the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA). This change, reported by Axios, aims to restructure seating based on current media consumption metrics, potentially displacing major legacy media outlets to less prominent positions. The move has sparked significant backlash from the WHCA, which views it as an attempt to control media coverage and punish unfavorable outlets. The administration's actions are seen as part of a broader effort to elevate pro-Trump outlets while marginalizing mainstream media, which some former press secretaries and GOP figures support. The WHCA argues that this undermines the independence of the press, a sentiment echoed by its current president, Eugene Daniels. The White House has not officially commented on the seating plan, which is expected to include more digital and influencer media representatives.