The Trump administration spokeswoman walked into the den filled with White House correspondents on Tuesday and overturned the tables.
Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt announced that the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) would no longer oversee who gets a seat in the press room; instead, from now on, the White House communications staff will be in charge.
Not to worry, Leavitt told the stunned reporters, legacy media will retain their seats, but they may be rubbing elbows with local radio hosts, podcasters, streamers, and others. There might be some Peter Strzok-like Walmart smell on the normies who invade the "nerd ball" space. News stars might want to make sure their Jimmy Choos stay far away from the scuffed boots worn by the new guys when they arrive.
For the reason behind this turn of events, we point to the lawsuit the Associated Press filed fighting their banishment from the press room and Air Force One. The AP lost round one in court this week when a judge wondered what the heck the case was doing in court because there were no clear rights violations against the news outlet.
The AP was cut off from the president when it refused to call the Gulf of Mexico by its new, and official, name, the Gulf of America. The AP, which has boarded every faddish bandwagon over the years, wouldn't comply.
During the court case, in which the AP demanded an emergency stay of the Trump White House decision, the judge ruled that this was "not the type of dire situation" that would require emergency intervention against the White House, in part because the organization could still report the news "through shared reports sent out to all media organizations in the White House Correspondents’ Association."
As the Trump attorney said in court, "There is no right to have special access to the Oval Office." Indeed, in a court filing for Trump Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, she said that "losing special media access to the President — a quintessentially discretionary presidential choice... infringes no constitutional right."
Leavitt has consistently said that the White House assignment is a privilege, not a legal right.
And as long-time political observer Mike Cernovich summed it up: Hey, AP, be careful what you wish for.
For those keeping track at home.
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) February 25, 2025
AP threw a tantrum and sued.
The judge asked why the White House correspondents association even had the power to control access.
White House said, great point. Yeah this isn’t required under any law.
Thanks AP! https://t.co/qM6a36aGnK
That's about right.
No First Amendment principles were harmed in the making of this drama.
At first, the Trump team was respectful of the seating chart that the organization contrived. When she placed an outsider from "new media" in the press room, in a historical first, Leavitt placed the newbies in the seats on the side usually occupied by White House staff. No one had to move. Now, it sounds like she doesn't have to care.
https://t.co/6GGzAGz6NE pic.twitter.com/qKbMZmWL4S
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) February 24, 2025
For years, the White House Correspondents Association has given its members all kinds of awards and then throws itself a party every year, emceed usually by a comedian who can't stand Republicans. Reporters call their self-congratulatory party the "nerd ball," by which we are supposed to assume they mean they're rigorous, single-minded, super smart people.
They didn't adapt well to Leavitt's announcement, saying the move suggests that the president will pick and choose the reporters allowed to ask him questions. Besides, they whined, the White House didn't even give them a "heads up" about the move!
WHCA Statement on White House Announcement pic.twitter.com/qDs3ZQph2c
— Steve Thomma (@stevethomma) February 25, 2025
That reminds me, have Jake Tapper, Evan Perez, Jim Sciutto, and Carl Bernstein given back their WHCA awards for the phony "Russian dossier" and fake Russia collusion story that was leaked to the news outfit by government intel types?
It's kind of hard for us at PJ Media to feel too sorry for the Associated Press. Though a venerable organization, this case is hardly the hill to die on for press freedom. Indeed, we might have had a bit of a soft spot for them had they opened their mouths to support press freedom when the Biden administration, intelligence organizations, and the FBI were censoring us.
That's why we are always asking YOU to support us. And we're giving back, not just in content but in savings. PJ Media is offering a 60% discount when you become a VIP Member. Click this link and use the promo code FIGHT for your 60% discount.
After the organized censorship against conservative media by the left, we turned to you to keep the lights on and the stories flowing. Thank you for considering becoming a member to keep this opinion journalism enterprise thriving.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member