President Donald Trump’s administration was inundated with approximately 7,400 “new media” applications within 24 hours of announcing that its press briefing room would be opened to more than just the traditional legacy media news outlets.

On Tuesday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the briefing room would be available to “new media voices who produce news-related content.”

'It’s essential to our team that we share President Trump’s message everywhere and adapt this White House to the new media landscape in 2025.'

“We welcome independent journalists, podcasters, social media influencers, and content creators to apply for credentials to cover this White House,” she said. “Starting today, this seat in the front of the room, which is usually occupied by the press secretary staff, will be called the ‘new media seat.’”

Leavitt explained that her team would review the applications and determine who would receive press passes for the briefing room.

“The Trump White House will speak to all media outlets and personalities, not just the legacy media who are seated in this room,” she continued. “According to recent polling from Gallup, Americans' trust in mass media has fallen to a record low. 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.”

The first questions for Tuesday’s briefing went to one journalist from Axios and another from Breitbart. Leavitt stated that “despite being some of the most viewed news websites in the country,” the two outlets had previously “not been given seats in this room.”

“As long as you are creating news-related content of the day and you’re a legitimate independent journalist, you’re welcome to cover this White House,” she added.

Leavitt also noted that the Trump administration plans to restore press credentials for the 440 journalists whose passes were “wrongly revoked” by the Biden administration.

In August 2023, the Biden administration tightened its requirements for “hard pass holders.” Reporters had to prove “full-time employment with an organization whose principal business is news dissemination” and provide a Washington, D.C.-area address. Journalists also had to demonstrate that they were assigned to cover the White House and have credentials to “a press gallery in either the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, or Supreme Court.”

Less than 24 hours after Leavitt’s first press briefing on Wednesday, the Daily Wire reported that the Trump administration had already received 7,400 applications to join the briefing room.

“It’s essential to our team that we share President Trump’s message everywhere and adapt this White House to the new media landscape in 2025,” Leavitt remarked.

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