WASHINGTON — Podcasters and social media influencers will now have the opportunity to apply for credentials to cover the White House, as announced by the new press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, during her first briefing on Tuesday.
In a significant move towards enhancing press freedom in the USA, Leavitt stated, “We welcome independent journalists, podcasters, social media influencers, and content creators to apply for credentials to cover this White House.” This initiative aims to broaden the range of individuals eligible for White House press credentials, thereby increasing the number of journalists with access to important government events.
At just 27 years old, Leavitt is the youngest individual to hold the position of White House press secretary. She emphasized that the Trump administration is committed to engaging with all media outlets and personalities, not just traditional legacy media. Citing a Gallup poll, she noted the low trust levels in media among younger Americans.
“As long as you are creating news content of the day and are a legitimate, independent journalist, you are welcome to cover this White House,” Leavitt affirmed. She added that credentials would be granted to those meeting the White House’s criteria and passing a Secret Service background check.
The credentials, known as hard passes, facilitate easier access for journalists attending press briefings and accessing the White House campus. The White House Correspondents’ Association has not yet responded to inquiries regarding this initiative.
In his reelection campaign, former President Trump engaged with several podcasters and social media influencers to connect with younger American audiences. Leavitt also mentioned that the administration plans to reinstate the credentials of approximately 440 journalists whose badges were “wrongly revoked” by the Biden administration in 2023.
Earlier in May 2023, the Biden White House announced updated standards for the yearly renewal of press passes, with only one journalist reportedly denied under the revised criteria.
During her briefing, Leavitt was asked by The Associated Press whether she sees her role as advocating for the president or providing unvarnished truth. In true press freedom spirit, she responded, “I commit to telling the truth from this podium every single day. I commit to speaking on behalf of the president.”
Leavitt also expressed her expectation that reporters uphold similar standards, remarking on the misinformation propagated by some legacy media outlets concerning the current administration.
Trump’s relationship with news outlets has been tumultuous, characterized by accusations of biased coverage. Recently, he has pursued several lawsuits against U.S. media outlets for what he claims to be unfair reporting. Moreover, in a separate legal matter, lawyers for the Pulitzer Prize board requested a Florida state court to pause a defamation lawsuit Trump filed against the board members in 2022, pending his presidential term.
Trump alleges that the Pulitzer board defamed him by honoring The New York Times and The Washington Post for their reporting on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Some information in this report came from the Associated Press.
