Trump pushes to evict press from White House
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The gist
President Trump has pushed to evict the White House press corps and floated replacing its briefing room with an indoor pool.
The idea, raised before, now sits closer to action than in past years.
Background
Donald Trump, President of the United States, has raised moving reporters out of the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, the space where White House press briefings are held, according to a New York Times report by White House reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan. The room was originally an indoor swimming pool built by President Franklin Roosevelt and later covered over by President Richard Nixon to make space for the news media. Trump has floated the press-eviction idea since his first term, and his inner circle had previously steered him away from it or waited for him to move on. People close to him describe the proposal as a possible escalation in a series of moves against the news media.
How it unfolded
- Aug 27, 2026Karoline Leavitt officially stepped down as White House press secretary.
- Late August 2026In one of Leavitt's final Oval Office meetings with Trump, he pitched her on moving reporters out of the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, calling it her "last legacy"; the proposal did not move forward while she was there.
- Oct 15, 2026A US federal judge blocked Trump's attempt to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, finding the restrictions likely violated constitutional protections, and extended the order.
- Oct 20, 2026The New York Times reported that Trump has pushed to evict the White House press corps and has talked about replacing the briefing room with an indoor swimming pool.
- Oct 21, 2026The Economic Times reported that Trump is reportedly mulling turning the White House press room into an indoor swimming pool.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Trump told Leavitt to move reporters out of the briefing room, framing it as her "last legacy," and has told aides he would prefer to bring back the indoor pool Roosevelt added.
- Analysts
- People close to Trump believe moving the media, most likely to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building across the street, may be the latest escalation in a series of moves against the news media that have already gone further than most expected.
Still unverified
The account of Trump's Oval Office pitch to Leavitt comes from three people with knowledge of the discussions who were not authorized to speak publicly; the plan is described as reportedly under consideration.