President Donald Trump has indicated he may relocate the White House press corps, potentially moving them from their longstanding briefing room amid heightened tension between the administration and the journalists who cover him.
In a social media post, Trump dismissed reports he planned to remove the White House press briefing room to restore a historic underground swimming pool, labeling the reports “Fake News”.
He subsequently suggested that dozens of reporters covering the White House could be relocated to a “less obnoxious location”, according to contemporary accounts.
The New York Times reported that Trump discussed the idea with his former press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who confirmed the president was “flirting” with restoring the pool, though the proposal did not advance during her tenure.
Trump’s relationship with the press has been contentious, with the administration recently moving to restrict access for CNN, MSNBC and POLITICO correspondents. A federal judge ruled the ban likely unconstitutional, forcing the White House to restore journalists’ credentials despite ongoing legal challenges.
During an Oval Office event, Trump sharply confronted The Independent’s White House correspondent Andrew Feinberg, telling him, “What’s wrong with you? Are you a sick person? I actually think there’s something wrong with you”, a exchange that was amplified on social media.
If implemented, changes to the briefing room would mark the latest in a series of renovations by the administration, following the demolition of the East Wing to construct a new ballroom, paving over the Rose Garden and the installation of a South Lawn helipad.
Trump has reportedly expressed interest in reviving the West Wing indoor pool originally built for President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who used swimming to ease polio-related soreness. In the 1970s, a floor was added above the pool to create the Brady Press Briefing Room, where the pool remains beneath.
Leavitt stated on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” that Trump was considering restoring the pool “to all of its glory”, though she noted she was unsure if the project would proceed.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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