WASHINGTON — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt mounted an aggressive defense of the administration’s overhaul of presidential press access during an on-stage forum with Axios co-founder Mike Allen, arguing that dismantling traditional press pool arrangements modernizes coverage rather than curtails journalistic scrutiny.The sharp exchange highlighted a deepening institutional battle between the executive branch and legacy news organizations over who holds the authority to decide which reporters board Air Force One, enter the Oval Office, and staff the protective pool tracking the commander-in-chief. At the center of the dispute is the administration’s decision to revoke the Associated Press’s permanent, guaranteed seat within that traveling cohort.
The controversy touches foundational questions of executive transparency, First Amendment conventions, and whether century-old protocols can survive an era where digital creators and alternative outlets compete directly with global wire services for West Wing credentials.
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