Instead of allowing mainstream media journalists into the White House press briefing room, President-elect Donald Trump is considering inviting independent figures like Megyn Kelly and Mike Rogan to participate, in a move that would “blow some heads.”
Donald Trump Jr. recently made the announcement on an episode of his podcast “Triggered with Donald Trump Jr.” while speaking with Michael Knowles.
Trump Jr. said that incoming White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt might consider redoing the seating arrangements in the press briefing room to accommodate Trump’s new podcast “bro” buddies.
“I wonder now, as your father is assembling his team, as maybe Karoline Leavitt is looking at the new press briefing room chart, maybe it’s time to reorder that chart and maybe take away some people’s seats,” said Knowles, per the Daily Mail.
“We’re gonna break some news here,” replied Trump Jr. “I literally had this conversation with—I was flying back, I was on the plane with my father, I think it was coming back from the SpaceX launch with Elon [Musk] last week.”
“And we were talking about the podcast world and some of our friends and Rogan and guys like you.”
“And so that may be in the works,” he continued. “That’s going to blow up some heads, so we’ll see.”
Trump Jr. argued that non-traditional figures should have the opportunity to attend briefings, citing the public’s increasing mistrust of the mainstream media due to bias.
“If the New York Times has lied, they’ve been adverse to everything, they’re functioning as the marketing arm of the Democrat Party, why not open it up to people who have larger viewerships, stronger followings?” Trump Jr. asked.
Knowles and Rogan were the only names mentioned for a seat in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room. However, filling any of those spots with non-journalists could cause conflict among the press corps, seeing that there are only 49 seats available.
While the White House determines which journalists receive credentials, the White House Correspondents’ Association decides the seating arrangement in the press briefing room.
There has been no love lost between Trump and the mainstream media. He has been known to go head-to-head with journalists, especially those belonging to liberal news media outlets. As a result, certain journalists, including CNN’s Jim Acosta, were banned during his first term in office.
During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump maintained positive relationships with independent voices, frequently engaging with podcasters and other non-traditional media figures. Many credit these appearances with helping him connect with younger voters, a key factor in his election victory.
Influencers also praised Trump for his ability to adapt to their formats. While mainstream media interviews were time-constrained, Trump was able to hold conversations for hours, all while keeping influencers and their audiences engaged.
“He’s got this ability to just keep going. This is what’s crazy, like the podcast was three hours long,” said Rogan, reflecting on his experience with Trump. “The guy didn’t pee before the podcast. He didn’t pee after the podcast. He just left.”
