Press Sec. Leavitt: The Only People Upset with W.H. Press Changes ‘Are Those Who Feel Like It Is a Knock on Their Power’

Jones So Karoline you ░░░░░░░░ some headlines yesterday I ░░░░░░░░ the president he talks ░░░░░░░░ all type of media ░░░░░░░░ Yes Jones even some ░░░░░░░░ the people that don ░░░░░░░░ even like him LEAVITT ░░░░░░░░ Jones he s willing ░░░░░░░░ give them interviews gives ░░░░░░░░ the first scoop sometimes ░░░░░░░░ That s right Jones ░░░░░░░░ you announced that the ░░░░░░░░ House Press Office would ░░░░░░░░ and the president will ░░░░░░░░ selecting the pool reporters ░░░░░░░░ forward LEAVITT Mm hmm ░░░░░░░░ What is that process ░░░░░░░░ to look like going ░░░░░░░░ LEAVITT So for your ░░░░░░░░ who may not understand ░░░░░░░░ has happened at this ░░░░░░░░ House for decades you ░░░░░░░░ a group of journalists ░░░░░░░░ here in Washington D ░░░░░░░░ who dictate which reporters ░░░░░░░░ into the most intimate ░░░░░░░░ of the American presidency ░░░░░░░░ Oval Office who gets ░░░░░░░░ ride on Air Force ░░░░░░░░ And that system hasn ░░░░░░░░ changed since the early ░░░░░░░░ Obviously the media today ░░░░░░░░ 2025 looks a heck ░░░░░░░░ a lot different than ░░░░░░░░ did when the White ░░░░░░░░ Correspondents Association was formed ░░░░░░░░ this is a long ░░░░░░░░ change A lot of ░░░░░░░░ secretaries and White Houses ░░░░░░░░ talked about making this ░░░░░░░░ We are just the ░░░░░░░░ to do it We ░░░░░░░░ shaking up Washington in ░░░░░░░░ ways than one And ░░░░░░░░ moving forward we re ░░░░░░░░ to expand the pool ░░░░░░░░ access to the president ░░░░░░░░ non traditional journalists Legacy ░░░░░░░░ will still have a ░░░░░░░░ just like they still ░░░░░░░░ a seat in our ░░░░░░░░ room but we re ░░░░░░░░ to bring new voices ░░░░░░░░ the fold The only ░░░░░░░░ who are upset about ░░░░░░░░ are those who feel ░░░░░░░░ it s a knock ░░░░░░░░ their power that they ░░░░░░░░ had over the system ░░░░░░░░ power belongs to the ░░░░░░░░ not elitist journalists in ░░░░░░░░ D C Jones Is ░░░░░░░░ president doing this because ░░░░░░░░ all the podcasts that ░░░░░░░░ so instrumental and the ░░░░░░░░ shows that were instrumental ░░░░░░░░ his last election win ░░░░░░░░ Well we ve made ░░░░░░░░ lot of changes to ░░░░░░░░ press operation here because ░░░░░░░░ that successful effort The ░░░░░░░░ owned the non traditional ░░░░░░░░ lane Those podcasts were ░░░░░░░░ of the most successful ░░░░░░░░ bonanza that those podcast ░░░░░░░░ have ever seen when ░░░░░░░░ Trump joined their shows ░░░░░░░░ so we want to ░░░░░░░░ that effort because that ░░░░░░░░ how you reach a ░░░░░░░░ of America today They ░░░░░░░░ not tuning in to ░░░░░░░░ legacy media outlets they ░░░░░░░░ listening to their podcasts ░░░░░░░░ they drive to work ░░░░░░░░ are reading non traditional ░░░░░░░░ and digital sites And ░░░░░░░░ those voices deserve a ░░░░░░░░ at the table And ░░░░░░░░ s what we re ░░░░░░░░ to do here Jones ░░░░░░░░ Leavitt here at the ░░░░░░░░ House I look forward ░░░░░░░░ seeing you later on ░░░░░░░░ the cabinet room LEAVITT ░░░░░░░░ we ll see you ░░░░░░░░ Jones in the Oval ░░░░░░░░ interview the president as ░░░░░░░░ as the rest of ░░░░░░░░ cabinet LEAVITT It s ░░░░░░░░ to be a lot ░░░░░░░░ fun Jones Thank you ░░░░░░░░ LEAVITT Thanks for being ░░░░░░░░ Lawrence Jones We appreciate ░░░░░░░░ Congratulations.”
LEAVITT: “Thank you.”