A new White House rule issued Friday restricts the ability of credentialed journalists to freely access the offices of press secretary Karoline Leavitt and other top communications officials in the West Wing, near the Oval Office,
Reuters reports.
The new memorandum from the National Security Council bans journalists from accessing Room 140, also known as "Upper Press," without a prior appointment, citing the need to protect potentially sensitive material. It said the change would take effect immediately.
The White House move follows restrictions put in place earlier this month for reporters at the Department of Defense, a move that prompted dozens of journalists to vacate their offices in the Pentagon and return their credentials.
The National Security Council said the change was made to protect sensitive material now being routinely handled by White House communications officials as a result of changes to the council.
"In order to protect such material, and maintain coordination between National Security Council Staff and White House Communications Staff, members of the press are no longer permitted to access Room 140 without prior approval in the form of an appointment with an authorized White House Staff Member," the memo said.
Previously, credentialed White House journalists could access Room 140, which is a short hallway from the Oval Office, on short notice to speak with Leavitt, her deputy Steven Cheung and other senior officials.
"Some reporters have been caught secretly recording video and audio of our offices, along with pictures of sensitive info, without permission," Cheung wrote in a post on X, adding that some reporters wandered into restricted areas, or eavesdropped on private, closed-door meetings.
"Cabinet Secretaries routinely come into our office for private meetings, only to be ambushed by reporters waiting outside our doors," Cheung wrote.
