White House issues new rule restricting access for journalists
By Andrea Shalal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A new White House rule issued on Friday restricts the ability of authorized journalists to freely access the offices of press secretary Karoline Leavitt and other senior communications officials in the West Wing, near the Oval Office.
The National Security Council’s new circular bans journalists from accessing room 140, also known as “Upper Press,” without prior appointment, citing the need to protect potentially sensitive material. It was said that the change would come into effect immediately.
The move by the White House follows restrictions on reporters at the Department of Defense earlier this month; This led dozens of journalists to vacate their offices at the Pentagon and return their credentials.
The National Security Council said the change was made because structural changes at the NSC meant White House communications officials now “regularly engage with sensitive material.”
“In order to safeguard such materials and maintain coordination between National Security Council Staff and White House Communications Staff, members of the press are no longer permitted to access Room 140 without prior approval in the form of an appointment with an authorized White House Staff,” the statement said. It was said.
Previously, authorized White House journalists had quick access to Room 140, a short hallway from the Oval Office, to speak with Leavitt, his deputy, Steven Cheung, and other senior officials.
The White House Correspondents’ Association, which represents journalists covering the White House, could not be reached for immediate comment.
The Trump administration months ago removed Reuters, Associated Press and Bloomberg News from the permanent “pool” of reporters covering the president, but allowed occasional participation from those news organizations.
Friday’s announcement comes weeks after a Department of Defense crackdown on press access; The restriction now requires news organizations to sign a new policy or lose access to press credentials and Pentagon workspaces.
At least 30 news organizations, including Reuters, have refused to accept the Pentagon restrictions, citing a threat to press freedoms and their ability to gather independent news.
Pentagon policy requires journalists to agree to new rules on press access, including that they could be branded security risks and that their Pentagon press badges could be revoked if they ask department employees to disclose classified and some non-classified information.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; editing by Diane Craft and David Gregorio)
