The White House’s recent decision to select which news outlets can cover President Donald Trump up close marks a significant departure from traditional practices, where a pool of independent journalists holds the chief executive accountable on behalf of the public. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt framed these changes as a modernization effort aimed at inclusivity and restoring access to the American people. However, media experts have raised concerns about potential First Amendment issues, as the president now has a hand in determining who covers him.

Leavitt emphasized that the White House will continue to bar The Associated Press from many presidential events, challenging the long-standing practice of a diverse pool of journalists sharing information with various news outlets and congressional offices. This move, according to experts, undermines the core principles of a free press and democracy, as it allows the president to selectively control media coverage of the executive branch.

The decision comes amid a federal lawsuit where a judge declined to immediately order the White House to restore AP’s access to events. The lawsuit stemmed from the AP’s refusal to comply with Trump’s directive to call the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.” The ongoing legal battle underscores the tension between press freedom and government control over media coverage.

As the debate unfolds, the implications of these changes on press freedom, public access to information, and the role of the media in a democratic society remain at the forefront of discussions surrounding the evolving relationship between the White House and the press.