White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says the Trump administration is ending the "monopoly" of "DC journalists." (AP/Evan Vucci)
Leavitt argued the WHCA had represented an entrenched monopoly of "DC journalists" who no longer represented the wider media landscape and how Americans get their news.
"A select group of D.C.-based journalists should no longer have a monopoly over the privilege of press access at the White House. All journalists, outlets and voices deserve a seat at this highly coveted table," she said.
The Trump White House had earlier introduced a "new media seat" in the briefing room to provide access to more diverse outlets. The digital outlet Semafor was represented at Tuesday's briefing.
GOOGLE MAPS UPDATE: GULF OF AMERICA, MOUNT MCKINLEY WILL BE IN AFTER TRUMP ORDERS NAME CHANGES
The White House originally blocked The Associated Press last week from the Oval Office and Air Force One because the news organization has refrained from renaming the "Gulf of Mexico" to the "Gulf of America."
Associated Press microphone. (Getty Images)
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AP senior vice president and executive editor Julie Pace wrote to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles last week after a reporter was blocked from attending a White House event.
"The actions taken by this White House were plainly intended to punish the AP for the content of its speech," Pace wrote, according to an AP report. "It is among the most basic tenets of the First Amendment that the government cannot retaliate against the public or the press for what they say."
Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.
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