Trump hints at moving 100-plus reporters from West Wing

President Donald Trump said on Friday that he may move the White House press corps to a new site, describing the current location as "less obnoxious" in a post on Truth Social. The remark follows a New York Times report from Tuesday indicating that Trump pitched the idea to former press secretary Karoline Leavitt. The proposal would affect the dozens of journalists who work in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.

In the same post, Trump rejected reports that he plans to demolish the briefing room to expose a swimming pool beneath the floor. He called those accounts "Fake News" and wrote, "I NEVER even thought to do such a stupid thing!" The pool was constructed in 1933 for Franklin D. Roosevelt, who used it to treat polio-related soreness. Richard Nixon covered the pool with a floor in the 1970s to accommodate the growing number of reporters. The pool remains under the current briefing room.

Leavitt, whose tenure ended on August 27, told HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" on Friday that Trump was "flirting" with restoring the pool. She said he "maybe, wants to restore it to all of its glory" but added, "I don't know if he'll do it." The New York Times reported that the relocation idea did not move forward during Leavitt's time in the role.

The comments come amid strained relations between the administration and the press. In September, Trump barred reporters from CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO from the White House. A federal judge ruled the order likely unconstitutional, forcing the White House to restore access, though the administration is appealing the decision. On Tuesday, Trump also criticized Andrew Feinberg, a correspondent for The Independent, during an Oval Office event. Feinberg attempted to ask a question, and Trump asked, "What's wrong with you? Are you a sick person? I actually think there's something wrong with you."

The potential move adds to several physical changes made to the White House property since Trump returned to office last year. The administration demolished the East Wing to construct a new ballroom, paved the center of the Rose Garden with concrete, and installed a helipad on the South Lawn. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the potential relocation.

No official timeline or new location has been announced for the press corps. The briefing room currently serves as the primary venue for daily media interactions at the executive residence. The pool beneath the room has not been accessible to the public since Nixon's renovation in the 1970s.