“ At the White House, accredited journalists were restricted from freely visiting the offices of Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt and other top communications officials in the West Wing, near the Oval Office. Source: Reuters Details: Journalists have reportedly been barred from room 140, also known as the Upper Press, without an appointment, citing the need to protect potentially sensitive material. The move by the White House follows restrictions imposed earlier this month on Defense Department reporters, prompting dozens of journalists to vacate their Pentagon offices and restore their credentials. The National Security Council said the changes were made because structural changes at the Council meant White House communications staff now “routinely work with classified material.” “To protect such materials and maintain coordination between National Security Council staff and the White House Communications Office, members of the press are no longer permitted access to Room 140 without prior authorization in the form of a meeting with an authorized White House staff member,” the memo said. In the past, accredited White House reporters could gain access to Room 140, which is down a short corridor from the Oval Office, on short notice to speak with Leavitt, her deputy, Stephen Cheung, and other senior officials. The agency reminds that the administration of US President Donald Trump a few months ago excluded Reuters, Associated Press and Bloomberg News from the permanent “pool” of reporters covering the president’s activities, although it allows these publications to participate in the conversation sporadically.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
US administration spokeswoman Caroline Levitt, photo: getty images Source: Reuters
Details: Reporters have reportedly been barred from room 140, also known as the Upper Press, without an appointment, citing the need to protect potentially sensitive material.
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The move by the White House follows restrictions imposed earlier this month on Defense Department reporters, prompting dozens of journalists to vacate their Pentagon offices and restore their credentials.
The National Security Council said the changes were made because structural changes at the Council meant White House communications staff now “routinely work with classified material.”
“To protect such materials and maintain coordination between National Security Council staff and the White House Communications Office, members of the press are no longer permitted access to Room 140 without prior authorization in the form of a meeting with an authorized White House staff member,” the memo said.
In the past, accredited White House reporters could gain access to Room 140, which is down a short corridor from the Oval Office, on short notice to speak with Leavitt, her deputy, Stephen Cheung, and other senior officials.
The agency reminds that the administration of US President Donald Trump a few months ago excluded Reuters, Associated Press and Bloomberg News from the permanent “pool” of reporters covering the president’s activities, although it allows these publications to participate in the conversation sporadically.