Trump Administration Weighs Relocating White House Press Corps

POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — President Trump is currently weighing the possibility of relocating the White House press corps to a different facility, according to two individuals familiar with the matter. Such a transition would mark a significant escalation in the administration’s long-standing friction with news organizations regarding coverage and building access.

While these discussions are active, both sources confirmed that no definitive decision has been reached. The potential shift was initially brought to light by The New York Times.

In a statement posted to X, White House communications director Steven Cheung addressed the report, noting: “America is rightly distrustful of the fake news media because they fabricate stories based off lies and sources who are not even privy to any type of information. … All options remain on the table, and we will make an announcement when appropriate.”

The press has maintained a physical presence within the White House for over a century. The current briefing room, established during the Nixon administration, was built over a swimming pool that dated back to the era of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Late last month, the president shared a comparison image on Truth Social suggesting the space could be converted back into a pool.

This is not the first time the administration has considered such a move. Prior to his first term, officials proposed relocating the press to the nearby Eisenhower Executive Office Building to provide more space. However, the president ultimately abandoned the plan in 2017, telling Fox News, “The press went crazy, so I said, ‘Let’s not move it.'”

The renewed interest in the proposal follows more than a year of intense disputes over access. Last month, the administration briefly blocked CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the complex, though a federal judge later reinstated their credentials, citing potential First Amendment and due process violations. The administration has also periodically restricted CNN from the rotating television press pool.

Tensions have extended beyond the White House. Over a year ago, the administration barred the Associated Press from the Oval Office after the outlet refused to adopt the president’s preferred term, the Gulf of America, for the Gulf of Mexico. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has also tightened its policies, recently announcing that reporters will no longer be permitted to enter the building unescorted.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated that a “new and improved press workspace will be established in an annex facility outside the Pentagon, but still on Pentagon grounds.”

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)