In a significant move on Tuesday, the Trump administration revoked the authority of the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) to decide which media outlets can participate in the White House press pool.
This decision marks a departure from the long-standing tradition where the WHCA, led by Eugene Daniels, a Politico correspondent and soon-to-be MSNBC host, held sway over press pool inclusions. Daniels, known for his expertise on Kamala Harris, once questioned the former vice president about whether the campaign rhetoric of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance was rooted in "irredeemable racism."
As reported by The Washington Free Beacon, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the WHCA should no longer have exclusive control over the selection of reporters for the 13-member press pool, which gains access to the Oval Office, Air Force One, and other exclusive events.
Leavitt emphasized, "All journalists, outlets, and voices deserve a seat at this highly coveted table." The administration's decision to expand the pool without WHCA consultation aims to diversify the voices represented in the press corps.
Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer hailed the change as "amazing news," suggesting it would introduce "new voices" from media outlets beyond the traditional Washington, D.C., sphere. Spicer advised WHCA members upset by the decision to direct their grievances toward Daniels, who has been noted for his sympathetic coverage of Harris during her unsuccessful 2024 campaign.
Daniels, described by the liberal Poynter Institute as "the Kamala Harris expert," consistently provided favorable coverage of Harris. In a Mediaite interview, he remarked on the "insane" excitement surrounding Harris and clarified that despite her role in addressing migration issues at the southern border, she was not the administration's "border czar."
During a National Association of Black Journalists panel, Daniels questioned Harris on whether comments by Trump and Vance regarding Haitian migrants in Ohio were "a case of irredeemable racism that can't be mitigated by any rational action."
In response to the administration's decision, Daniels expressed concern, stating that the move "tears at the independence of a free press." He is reportedly set to leave Politico for a co-hosting role on an MSNBC weekend show, as noted by Puck News.
Daniels, as WHCA president, selected comedian Amber Ruffin to host the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner, lauding her as the "perfect fit for the dinner this year." Ruffin, known for her critical stance on President Trump, has openly mocked him and expressed that "no one wants" his attendance at the event.
In a recent CNN interview, Ruffin diverged from past hosts' advice to "make fun of everybody," stating, "I am not going to do that. Maybe I'll do it a little bit, but probably not."
Throughout his first term, Trump abstained from attending the correspondents' dinners, a tradition that often features comedic roasts of the sitting President. The administration's latest move to broaden press pool access underscores its commitment to challenging the status quo and promoting a wider array of journalistic perspectives.
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