The White House Correspondents’ Association says it is “unequivocally opposed” to a new White House policy limiting what rooms reporters can access.
The National Security Council issued a memo Friday limiting press access to the West Wing’s Upper Press area in Room 140 adjacent to the Oval Office.
Members of the press will now need an appointment to enter the space.
The policy, effective immediately, aims to safeguard sensitive material handled by the White House communications and National Security Council staff.
“The new restrictions hinder the press corps’ ability to question officials, ensure transparency, and hold the government accountable, to the detriment of the American public,” said Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said reporters had been “ambushing” Cabinet secretaries in the area and secretly recording video and audio.
“Some reporters have been caught secretly recording video and audio of our offices, along with pictures of sensitive info, without permission,” Cheung said on social media. “Some reporters have wandered into restricted areas.”
“Some reporters have been caught eavesdropping on private, closed-door meetings,” Cheung continued. “Cabinet Secretaries routinely come into our office for private meetings, only to be ambushed by reporters waiting outside our doors.”
President Bill Clinton instituted a similar ban in 1993, though it was later rescinded.
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