Washington, 29 January 2025 (dpa/MIA) - The Trump administration is reworking media access at the White House, opening the door to influencers, bloggers and podcasters as part of a new strategy to include less traditional media voices in the briefing room.

In her first press conference, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday said that the briefing room would be opened to "new media voices," including social media influencers, content creators, bloggers, podcasters and independent reporters.

She explained that those producing "news-related content" could apply for credentials to cover the White House.

Leavitt explained that traditional media, which she referred to as "legacy media," no longer has the influence it once had, with many Americans now turning to "new media" for their news consumption.

Leavitt spoke of a "revolutionary media approach" by Trump's White House.

Donald Trump's press secretary gave a taste of the new course, welcoming a reporter from the right-wing website Breitbart to the room and letting him ask one of the first questions.

As president, Trump is far more accessible to journalists than his successor and predecessor, Joe Biden. He holds frequent, lengthy press conferences, answers questions at every opportunity and clearly relishes the media spotlight. This was also the case during his first term in office from 2017 to 2021.

During his election campaigns, Trump did significantly restrict press access to his events, bypassing mainstream media outlets and opting for interviews with politically aligned bloggers and podcasters to reach his audience.

At public events, Trump has often lashed out at journalists, calling them the "enemy of the people" and accusing them of spreading misinformation. He has also called for the revocation of broadcasting licenses for media outlets he dislikes.

Photo: MIA archive