The White House has said it will select the journalists allowed to have the closest access to Donald Trump, stripping that choice from a body of reporters that for decades has decided who participates in the “pool” that covers US presidents.
The move was announced by Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, during a briefing on Tuesday in which she said her team would “determine who gets to enjoy the very privileged and limited access in spaces such as Air Force One and the Oval Office”.
“We are going to give the power back to the people who read your papers, who watch your television shows and listen to your radio stations,” Leavitt said, saying the move was designed to bring in “new voices” to cover Trump in addition to “legacy media” organisations.