A swimming pool could replace the room where journalists regularly question the president if Donald Trump gets his way. Trump posted a mockup on Truth Social showing the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room transformed into an ornate pool. This comes amid the president’s recent media ban, barring certain networks from the White House.
Donald Trump’s post comes amid reports that he has considered relocating White House reporters
The image posted on Truth Social contrasted the existing briefing room, marked “Fake News.” Beside it is a proposed “FDR Pool” decorated in the lavish style associated with Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property. The idea carries an unusual historical connection.
The briefing room originally served as a pool after President Franklin D. Roosevelt had it installed in 1933 for relief related to his polio paralysis. President Richard Nixon later converted the space into a briefing room in 1970. The White House Historical Association says the original pool reflected the growing importance of the press to the presidency while creating a more informal way for officials and journalists to communicate (via The Daily Beast).
The White House press corps has also been caught up in the uncertainty. A Wall Street Journal report citing current and former administration officials said Trump had repeatedly floated the idea of moving journalists out of the White House altogether. The Eisenhower Executive Office Building, just west of the White House, has reportedly been considered as an alternative workspace. However, advisers have urged Trump not to make the move.
Trump’s feud with several major news outlets took a sharper turn after he targeted CNN, MS NOW, and Politico over coverage he viewed as unfavorable. His posts on Truth Social were followed by a legal battle surrounding the organizations’ White House access. Reports have also pointed to aide Natalie Harp’s role in the buildup, saying she showed Trump clips of MS NOW anchors criticizing his administration shortly before he lashed out at the outlets and accused them of publishing “FICTION and LIES.”