White House Grants Podcasters and Influencers Press Access
According to Karoline Leavitt, President Trump's press secretary, there is a noticeable decline in public trust towards legacy media. Read the full article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Public trust in legacy media is on the decline, as noted by presidential press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has welcomed members of the “new media” into a more prominent role within the White House press briefing room, highlighting the diminishing public confidence in traditional news outlets.
In her opening remarks at a press briefing on Tuesday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt outlined the new policy. “The Trump White House will speak to all media outlets and personalities, not just the legacy media who are seated in this room,” Leavitt remarked. She encouraged “independent journalists, podcasters, social media influencers, and content creators” to seek credentials.
Leavitt indicated that those vetted by her office and the Secret Service would be invited into the James S. Brady briefing room in the West Wing. In a symbolic move, a seat once reserved for a member of the press secretary's staff will now be designated as the “new media seat” and allocated to a “new media” journalist.
She stressed that this policy shift reflects the reality that “millions of Americans, especially young people, have turned from traditional television outlets and newspapers to consume their news from podcasts, blogs, social media, and other independent outlets.”
According to Gallup, trust in news organizations in the US has consistently declined since the mid-1970s. Recent surveys show that in 2024, 36% of Americans expressed complete distrust in the media. This trend aligns with a broader drop in confidence in national institutions, as highlighted by Gallup.
Trump's interactions with mainstream media have often been fraught. The Republican has referred to certain outlets as “enemies of the people” and accused them of spreading “fake news.”
The tensions escalated during his first term from 2017 to 2021, largely fueled by the Russiagate allegations, where critical journalists accused the president of having “colluded” with Moscow to secure his election. This narrative has been substantially debunked since, including by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who did not file any criminal charges to back up the claims.
Left-leaning legacy media currently face significant obstacles, with major outlets like MSNBC, CNN, and the Washington Post experiencing audience declines and revenue losses, leading to reorganization and layoffs aimed at cost reduction.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
The administration of US President Donald Trump has welcomed members of the “new media” into a more prominent role within the White House press briefing room, highlighting the diminishing public confidence in traditional news outlets.
In her opening remarks at a press briefing on Tuesday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt outlined the new policy. “The Trump White House will speak to all media outlets and personalities, not just the legacy media who are seated in this room,” Leavitt remarked. She encouraged “independent journalists, podcasters, social media influencers, and content creators” to seek credentials.
Leavitt indicated that those vetted by her office and the Secret Service would be invited into the James S. Brady briefing room in the West Wing. In a symbolic move, a seat once reserved for a member of the press secretary's staff will now be designated as the “new media seat” and allocated to a “new media” journalist.
She stressed that this policy shift reflects the reality that “millions of Americans, especially young people, have turned from traditional television outlets and newspapers to consume their news from podcasts, blogs, social media, and other independent outlets.”
According to Gallup, trust in news organizations in the US has consistently declined since the mid-1970s. Recent surveys show that in 2024, 36% of Americans expressed complete distrust in the media. This trend aligns with a broader drop in confidence in national institutions, as highlighted by Gallup.
Trump's interactions with mainstream media have often been fraught. The Republican has referred to certain outlets as “enemies of the people” and accused them of spreading “fake news.”
The tensions escalated during his first term from 2017 to 2021, largely fueled by the Russiagate allegations, where critical journalists accused the president of having “colluded” with Moscow to secure his election. This narrative has been substantially debunked since, including by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who did not file any criminal charges to back up the claims.
Left-leaning legacy media currently face significant obstacles, with major outlets like MSNBC, CNN, and the Washington Post experiencing audience declines and revenue losses, leading to reorganization and layoffs aimed at cost reduction.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
