President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he may relocate the White House press corps from the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, dismissing claims that he wanted to restore the historic indoor pool that once served as a press space—Trump’s post on Truth Social called the idea "stupid".
The pool, installed in 1933 by Franklin D. Roosevelt, was covered over in 1970 to make way for the press room as journalist numbers grew; Trump reportedly told aides in August that he preferred the pool, but the plan never materialised.
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore access to CNN, MSNBC and Politico after a brief ban, ruling the restrictions were likely unconstitutional.
The White House will announce the new location by Monday, as the administration weighs the implications for media access, with journalist Alex Patel saying he will keep his reporters in the current room until a decision is made.
Trump’s threat that he could "move the Fake News to a less obnoxious location" underscores the continuing tension between the administration and the press.