Trump Suggests Moving White House Press Corps to Quieter Site

President Donald Trump stated on Friday that he may move the White House press corps to a different location. In a post on Truth Social, he described the potential new site as a "less obnoxious location." He made the announcement while rejecting reports that he planned to eliminate the current briefing room.

Trump pushed back against media accounts suggesting he wanted to remove the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room to uncover a historic swimming pool. He labeled those reports "Fake News" and wrote, "I NEVER even thought to do such a stupid thing!" The comments follow a Tuesday report by The New York Times that Trump discussed moving journalists out of the room with his former press secretary, Karoline Leavitt.

Leavitt served as press secretary until August 27. In a Friday interview on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher," she said Trump was "flirting" with the idea of restoring the pool. She noted that he "maybe, wants to restore it to all of its glory" but added, "I don't know if he'll do it."

The pool was constructed in 1933 for President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who swam there to manage symptoms of polio. In the 1970s, President Richard Nixon built a floor over the pool to create space for a briefing room. The structure remains beneath the current floor, and The New York Times reported that Trump told aides he wanted to bring it back.

The proposal arrives amid strained relations between the White House and the press. Last month, Trump barred journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and POLITICO from the residence. A federal judge ruled that order likely unconstitutional, forcing the administration to restore access. The White House continues to challenge that decision.

Trump has also clashed with reporters in person. On Tuesday, he interrupted Andrew Feinberg, a White House correspondent for The Independent, during an Oval Office event. Trump asked, "What's wrong with you? Are you a sick person? I actually think there's something wrong with you." The White House shared the clip on social media.

Any changes to the briefing room would join other recent modifications to the property. Since returning to power, Trump has demolished the East Wing for a ballroom, paved the Rose Garden lawn with concrete, and installed a helipad on the South Lawn. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.