President-elect Donald Trump discussed giving podcast bros like Joe Rogan seats in the White House Press Briefing Room at the expense of journalists, according to his eldest son.
Donald Trump Jr. revealed the conversation took place on the latest episode of his podcast, Triggered With Donald Trump Jr.
His cohost, Daily Wire political commentator Michael Knowles, floated the idea as a hypothetical: “I wonder now, as your father is assembling his team, as maybe [incoming White House press secretary] Karoline Leavitt is looking at the new press briefing room chart, maybe it’s time to reorder that chart and maybe take away some people’s seats.”
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Don Jr. replied that Knowles didn’t need to wonder if the Trump team was looking at idea. In fact, he said, it’s actively under consideration.
“We’re gonna break some news here because I literally had this conversation with—I was flying back, I was on the plane with my father, I think it was coming back from the SpaceX launch with Elon [Musk] last week," he said. “And we were talking about the podcast world and some of our friends and Rogan and guys like you.”
Don Jr. said the idea to supplement the press room with podcasters and independent media was met with positive reaction: “‘That’s a great idea, Don.‘”
“And so that may be in the works,” he added. “That’s going to blow up some heads, so we’ll see.”
Don Jr. justified the consideration by claiming traditional media organizations are biased against his father and his incoming administration, citing a recent New York Times article that mischaracterized Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy’s views about food dyes and warranted a correction.
“If the New York Times has lied, they’ve been adverse to everything, they’re functioning as the marketing arm of the Democrat Party, why not open it up to people who have larger viewerships, stronger followings?" he said.
Apart from his cohost Knowles and Rogan, Don Jr. didn’t name any other figures from the podcast world or independent media that might be offered a seat at White House press briefings under a new arrangement. Rogan lives in Austin, Texas and is therefore is highly unlikely to attend regular D.C. media availabilities.
During the election campaign, Don Jr.‘s father sat for interviews during with several streaming and podcast hosts, including comedian Theo Von, retired wrestler Mark “The Undertaker” Calaway, the Barstool Sports show Bussin’ with the Boys, and YouTuber Adin Ross, who was permanently banned from Twitch after using slurs and for “hateful conduct.”
Vice president-elect JD Vance also frequented the podcast circuit, interviewing with Rogan and Von, as well as comedian Tim Dillon.
It’s unclear how the Trump transition team could overhaul the seating chart in the press briefing room.
While the White House is in charge of issuing credentials, the White House Correspondents' Association—which operates independent of the White House—is responsible for assigning seats in the cramped James S. Brady Briefing Room, where there are only highly coveted 49 spots.
During his first term, Trump’s White House tried to ban some media viewed as critical from off-camera press briefings. It also issued temporary credentials to the conspiracy theorist outlet Infowars.
More recently, Trump’s 2024 campaign blocked certain journalists from covering its Election Night rally earlier this month.
