Did you read that Trump wants to decide which reporters can ask him questions?

[msc545]

Trump wants to decide which reporters can ask him questions. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said on Tuesday that the Trump administration would start handpicking which media outlets were allowed to participate in the presidential pool, the small, rotating group of journalists who relay the president’s day-to-day activities to the public.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/25/business/media/trump-white-house-press.html?

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1 y

My last question similar to this was removed by some offended MAGA mod. We will see if this one lasts...

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1 y

A spokesman for The New York Times said on Tuesday: “The White House’s move to handpick favored reporters to observe the president — and exclude anyone whose coverage the administration may not like — is an effort to undermine the public’s access to independent, trustworthy information about the most powerful person in America.”

This move by the President is a gross violation of the First Amendment, and somebody needs to file a lawsuit.

[MisterWack]

Freedom of Press was encouraged under President Biden & President Obama.

Biden and Obama both never prevented Fox News from asking questions at Press Conferences & that Correspondent's Dinner Trump is the only modern president refused to host or even have at The White House since he was too insecure.

Trump talked about banning ‘SNL’, attacked the Loser Project AKA ‘The Lincoln Project’, had interviews where he knew the questions ahead of time (Sean Hannity), and whines whenever things don’t go his way.
Didn’t see Obama or Biden attack Matt Walsh, Ben Shapiro, or anything while these people are so triggered they have to hide in shame or face spontaneous combustion from a ‘snowflake’ getting in their pants…. Very professional.

[msc545]

@MisterWack The thing is, MAGA people need to be protected from sadistic, terrible things like being asked to defend their own ridiculous ideas and immature behavior. Should they really be subject to criticism and exposure of their inherent obtuse natures just because they cannot reason adequately? We have to be nice...

[MisterWack]

@msc545 I believe you have a right to bitch about the press being one sided or whatever (I’d do it too) though just don’t block, ban, or censor. That is all. The fact we can have varying opinions & media that encourages fact checking makes us different to China, Russia, North Korea and by limiting freedom of press & speech & organize peaceful protest we are inching closer to Taliban & Communistic Socialist rule that they themselves want us to never go down the road towards.

[msc545]

I have no problem with complaints at all. However, concocting schemes to physically exclude members of the press because they ask questions you dislike strikes me as a First Amendment violation...

[loveslongnails]

I think it would be best if NO ONE except right-wing conservative news outlets showed up for White House briefings. It would save time. Then all you have to do is wait for them to broadcast their bullshit and tear it apart on the back end. Why waste time going to the White House circus show?

[msc545]

Can't argue with how efficient that would be...

[loveslongnails]

LOL Seriously, it really would be. I know it sounds like a joke, but it's not.

[msc545]

If Trump ejects enough news organizations that he dislikes, that may actually happen in a sort of organic, unplanned way...

[Amy10223]

Yes, I did. There was another post about this and I mentioned it. In his first term, Jim Acosta, news reporter who recently retired, had his license taken away by Trump for I forget how long. But he got it back of course as he is not allowed to take away something that was earned. It would be like Trump taking away the license of a lawyer. He did this because he didn't like Jim's questions or found them critical of him. Heaven forbid anyone should ask him anything about the truth about what he id doing.

So if this were to happen and it looks like it is--then that is less freedom of the press that we now have--and less freedom of speech. This is not what free countries do, it reminds me of China. Pretty soon--if you speak against him--it will not be tolerated.

It took exactly one month and some hours for Germany to become Nazi Germany. If we don't do something collectively--we are in big trouble.

[overlord337645]

this is common in dictatorships its starts out like this and ends up with no media or a controlled one by minipulateing the media he puts himself in a posative light to his followers and who knows people like him enough to elect him a third term but with how he is running things it sounds like he dosent even wanna have a chance of loseing

[exitseven]

We just had 4 years of a president that was handed note cards with pictures and names of reporters he was supposed to call on complete with what the question was going to be and what the answer was.

Americans get their news from many other sources besides the fake news and the Trump administration is being more inclusive by including people with podcasts and other non traditional sources. Reporters will be allowed in on a rotating basis to give a more fair system of access. It is not surprising that the networks are angry and saying that Trump is censoring them. If you look at the ratings of the networks and outlets like CNN and MSNBC, they are lower than many podcasts and have less credibility. They did this to themselves and now they have to deal with the consequences.

I guess we could say "That's show Biz."

[msc545]

@exitseven Keep creating excuses - none of them are worth a damn.

[exitseven]

Hahaha

[Amy10223]

That depends on what fake news you're talking about. You're kind of avoiding the question here, though, He is handpicking who can ask him questions. He is not being inclusive at all--he is cutting down on all the rest. MSNBC and CNN I noticed were catering to him even BEFORE he was elected, I noticed. That's why I cancelled y CNN "5 New Things" news on my email.
believe it or not TikTok is uncensored. They report the news as it is, here and around the world. That is the reason why Trump wants to get rid of it. He wants no one to know what goes on here and the world.

[Ez-Bri-Z_v2]

That's because he's a snowflake that can't handle any criticism. Sadly these media stations are going to stat bending the knee to him if they ever want to cover him and that's how they will control the medias messaging

[Anonymous]

Sounds right for him. Dear Leader may not be questioned when he lies or accept any criticism. He just walked out on the question in his first term when he got called out. His skin probably has only gotten thinner.

[Anonymous]

It's been a while since a president didn't do exacly the same thing. For most presidents its to avoid fake reporters, Biden used it quite effectively to avoid unfriendly questions.

[msc545]

oh I see. You are using the "they all do it" excuse? BULLSHIT!

[Opinion Owner]

@msc545
While it would be nice to have a president answer any and all questions, even if there were time, the modern press core has little interest in the same.

[Opinion Owner]

Just speculating as to their justification. Not that you would even get a good answer even if someone did ask

[msc545]

More excuses - and still bullshit.

[Anonymous]

Makes sense. He did it b4 and frankly nobody trusts the MSM. Remember the media is corporate owned, they've no actual right to ask any elected official anything.

[ProbablyClueless]

Wait, did you not know that was happening before?

[msc545]

I am now being told this. Please provide some links or proofs for this. I am sure it was occurring, but I cannot seem to find it. Thanks.

[ProbablyClueless]

This kind of thing really ramped up under FDR with his "Fire Side Chats", but you also saw a lot of it under Wilson with Yellow Journalism (the "newsies" era). That's what the Press Corps Dinner is all about; it's the politicians schmoozing the people who are supposed to dig up dirt on them 😂https://whca. press/news/page/2/

Presidents picking and choosing reporters was happening as far back as Garfield, who famously picked a reporter after he got shot to report on his condition to other journalists. www.msn.com/.../ar-AA1z0kvY?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[msc545]

I think it is OK to pick the questions to answer. It is not OK to rig things so only certain questions are asked, which is what Trump is trying to do.

[ProbablyClueless]

I don't think that's a particularly fair characterization. The limit order only affects times when the full press corps can't be accommodated. www.msn.com/.../ar-AA1zM9nO?ocid=BingNewsSerp The White House Press Association was alread effectively limiting which journalists had a seat at the table,

[msc545]

Well, I suppose those things you mention certainly serve to mitigate it to some degree if not completely remediate it. That said, I think I trust the Press Association more than I do Trump.. In reality, he can choose which reporters to call on, and which questions to address and answer, so perhaps in reality the whole problem is overdetermined as it stands now.

I can't help but think that this proposal of his was made either for symbolic purposes or was born of sheer ignorance. Either way, it makes me very uncomfortable and I suspect it was intended to make people uncomfortable.

[ProbablyClueless]

I agree! It feels very symbolic. It was the same with that executive order where the administrative agencies have to operate consistent with the White House's interpretation of the law. In theory, that was already supposed to be happening.

This feels like Trump is making a flex as a way of saying "I won, and now I've got you." My sense is that this message was meant for the bureaucrats and establishment media more than members of the public.

[msc545]

I think the message might be more like I can do anything I want and get away with it and there's nothing you can do about it or something like that... But yeah I believe it is mostly symbolic.

[beefcakebradybatson]

Hmmmmm... More echoes of the Moustachioed Madman.

[NathanDavis]

hasn't been the same for the last 10 years...

[Pterodon]

So what? At least he gets in front of the media more than any president I can think of. Biden hid in a basement remember?

[Anonymous]

Biden wasn't even allowed to ask a question if his handlers didn't approve it. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[lightbulb27]

Prior wouldn't talk at all.
Trump talks daily. But if see crap he has to deal with, id di the same. At least have some controls.

[msc545]

Nobody forces him to answer a question, but actually controlling what questions are at least asked is actually *illegal*.

[Booboolove69]

Yes it’s because the media lies and wants to over power him and not let him speak

[msc545]

@booboolove69 Oh sure. We all know Trump never lies.

[Booboolove69]

Nope

[Booboolove69]

🤣😄🤣

[msc545]

@booboolove69 Wait - you admit Trump DOES lie? A lot?

[Booboolove69]

Everyone on earth 🌍 does lie sometimes

[msc545]

Trump lies constantly.

[Anonymous]

nobody is entitled to another person's time

[Twalli]

Not surprised at all