RTDNA Condemns White House Plan to Pick Press Pool

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, February 25, 2025 | 4:49pm CT

Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA)

The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) has strongly condemned a White House decision to take control of selecting members of President Donald Trump's official press pool, a responsibility traditionally managed by the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA).

"No president, or any public official, should have the right to handpick the journalists who cover them," said Dan Shelley, RTDNA President and CEO. "Doing so gives them license to select only news outlets whose coverage they deem positive and exclude responsible journalists whose reporting, although fair and accurate, the administration may not like."

For decades, the WHCA, an independent group of journalists, has overseen the scheduling of press pool assignments, ensuring fair and impartial coverage when the president travels to locations too small to accommodate the full press corps. The RTDNA argues that shifting this authority to the White House undermines journalistic independence and could limit public access to unbiased reporting on presidential activities.

"We call on the Trump administration to reverse this decision without delay so that the American people, and the world, can be assured they are getting a complete and accurate account of the activities of the President of the United States," Shelley added. "This is especially critical during times of crisis."

The White House has not yet responded to RTDNA's statement.