Public trust in legacy media is declining, according to presidential press secretary Karoline Leavitt
The administration of US President Donald Trump has invited members of the “new media” to take a prominent place in the White House press briefing room, citing dwindling public trust in traditional outlets.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the new policy in her opening remarks at a press briefing on Tuesday.
”The Trump White House will speak to all media outlets and personalities, not just the legacy media who are seated in this room,” Leavitt said. She extended an invitation to “independent journalists, podcasters, social media influencers, and content creators” to apply for credentials.
Leavitt stated that those vetted by her office and the Secret Service would be welcome in the James S. Brady briefing room in the West Wing. In a symbolic gesture, a seat previously reserved for one of the press secretary’s staff members will now be called the “new media seat” and given to a “new media” journalist, she said.
The policy change addresses the situation in which “millions of Americans, especially young people, have turned from traditional television outlets and newspapers to consume their news from podcasts, blogs, social media, and other independent outlets,” Leavitt emphasized.
According to pollster Gallup, trust in news outlets has been on a steady decline in the US since the mid-1970s. In the past three years, a plurality of Americans – 36% in 2024 – expressed complete distrust in the media during surveys. The trend reflects wider erosion of confidence in national institutions, Gallup said.
Trump’s relationship with mainstream media has been contentious. The Republican has labeled some outlets “enemies of the people” and purveyors of “fake news.”
The animosity intensified during his first term in office from 2017 to 2021 due to Russiagate allegations against Trump, as critical journalists claimed that the president had “colluded” with Moscow to be elected. The narrative has since been largely debunked, including by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who filed no criminal charges to substantiate the claims.
Currently left-leaning legacy media face significant challenges, with major outlets such as MSNBC, CNN and the Washington Post grappling with audience losses and revenue declines, prompting reorganizations and layoffs to cut costs.
