The White House on Friday announced new restrictions limiting journalists’ access to the offices of Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and other senior communications officials in the West Wing, a move that media representatives say undermines transparency and accountability.
According to a memorandum issued by the National Security Council (NSC), credentialed journalists will no longer be permitted to enter Room 140 commonly known as “Upper Press” without a prior appointment. The NSC cited the need to protect “potentially sensitive material” as the reason for the policy, which takes immediate effect.
The change follows similar access restrictions introduced earlier this month at the Department of Defense, where dozens of journalists vacated their offices and returned their credentials in protest.
“In order to protect such material, and maintain coordination between National Security Council Staff and White House Communications Staff, members of the press are no longer permitted to access Room 140 without prior approval,” the memo stated.
Before the new rule, accredited White House journalists could approach Leavitt, her deputy Steven Cheung, and other senior officials on short notice in the corridor adjacent to the Oval Office.
Cheung, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), defended the decision, claiming that some reporters had been “secretly recording video and audio of our offices, along with pictures of sensitive info, without permission.” He further alleged that some journalists had entered restricted areas or eavesdropped on private meetings.
“Cabinet secretaries routinely come into our office for private meetings, only to be ambushed by reporters waiting outside our doors,” he wrote.
The NSC said that while access to Upper Press would now be restricted, journalists would still be allowed into another workspace occupied by lower-level White House spokespeople.
The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), which represents reporters covering the presidency, strongly condemned the new measures, warning that they would limit journalists’ ability to question officials and hold government accountable.
“The White House Correspondents’ Association unequivocally opposes any effort to limit journalists from areas within the communications operations of the White House that have long been open for newsgathering, including the press secretary’s office,” said WHCA President Weijia Jiang.
The development echoes a brief attempt by the Clinton administration in 1993 to restrict press access, which was later reversed following public criticism.
The Trump administration had also faced backlash months earlier for removing major news outlets—including Reuters, the Associated Press, and Bloomberg News from the permanent pool of reporters covering the president, although those outlets were occasionally permitted access on a rotating basis.
Friday’s announcement comes amid broader concerns about government-imposed press restrictions. The Pentagon’s new policy now requires journalists to sign a formal agreement acknowledging that their credentials could be revoked and they could be labelled security risks if they seek classified or certain unclassified information from defence officials.
At least 30 news organisations, including Reuters, have declined to sign the Pentagon policy, citing the measures as a threat to press freedom and independent newsgathering.
