White House Plans for New Media Expansion

During her initial press briefing, White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia announced plans to “expand” the new media seat as much as possible. This came in response to a question from Nick Gilbertson, a correspondent for Breitbart News, who was the first to ask about the administration’s commitment to bringing new media voices into the fold, following the example set by her predecessor, Karoline Leavitt.

Gilbertson pointed out that Leavitt had successfully opened the White House press room to a wider array of voices, a principle endorsed by Breitbart’s founder, Andrew Breitbart. He then inquired about Zacharia’s intentions regarding the new media seat and how she plans to ensure that these voices are represented.

Zacharia responded by praising Leavitt’s efforts and affirmed that the new media seat would continue to exist and be developed further. “We love new media, and we want to be able to embrace it,” she added, emphasizing her commitment.

The Trump administration had set a strong precedent for inclusivity from the beginning of his second term, with Leavitt notably announcing the creation of a seat dedicated to “new media voices” that previous administrations had overlooked. She also mentioned the restoration of press passes to 440 journalists that were unjustly revoked by the Biden administration.

Leavitt highlighted the shift in how audiences consume news today, indicating that millions, particularly younger individuals, had moved away from traditional media like television and newspapers, turning instead to podcasts, blogs, and independent news sources. She stressed the importance of disseminating President Trump’s message across these platforms and adapting to the evolving media landscape.

Since the introduction of the new media seat in January 2025, the White House has received an overwhelming response, with over 7,400 new media requests submitted within just 24 hours.

WATCH Katie Zacharia’s full briefing below: