The White House on Tuesday said that it would decide which media organisations participate in the press pool that covers President Donald Trump.
Karoline Leavitt, President Donald Trump’s spokeswoman, said that though traditional media organizations would be allowed to cover the President, the US administration will decide who participates, Reuters reported.
The pool system in the US allows a few television, print and photojournalists to cover select events inside the Oval Office, which is then shared with other media organisations.
The leading global news agencies have responded to the move saying any steps by the government to limit the number of wire services to the President threatens the free press.
Statement from the editors of Reuters, The Associated Press and Bloomberg News https://t.co/nOUWbW4uH6 pic.twitter.com/AeIiF2W279
— Reuters Press Team (@ReutersPR) February 26, 2025
A joint statement issued by the Associated Press, Bloomberg News and Reuters said that the move harms the spread of reliable information to people, communities, businesses and global financial markets that depend on their reporting.
“The three permanent wires in the White House pool, The Associated Press, Bloomberg News and Reuters, have long worked to ensure that accurate, fair and timely information about the presidency is communicated to a broad audience of all political persuasions, both in the United States and globally. Much of the White House coverage people see in their local news outlets, wherever they are in the world, comes from the wires,” the joint statement said.
“It is essential in a democracy for the public to have access to news about their government from an independent, free press. We believe that any steps by the government to limit the number of wire services with access to the President threatens that principle,” the statement added.
