The White House press room was flipped upside down on Tuesday.
The establishment media never saw it coming.
And Karoline Leavitt stunned the press corps when she called on Tim Pool to speak first at the briefing.
Trump administration blindsides legacy media with controversial first pick
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sent shockwaves through the briefing room Tuesday when she bypassed traditional media outlets and instead called on podcaster Tim Pool as the first questioner.
The move was a direct shot at the old guard media who normally get first dibs at each briefing.
Pool, seated in the newly created “New Media” seat, didn’t hesitate to drop a truth bomb on the very journalists surrounding him in the room.
“Many of the news organizations that are represented in this room have marched in lockstep on false narratives, such as the ‘Very Fine People’ hoax, the Covington smear, and now, what is being called the ‘Maryland Man’ hoax, where an MS-13 gang member, adjudicated by two different judges, I believe, is just simply being referred to as a ‘Maryland Man’ over and over again,” Pool stated firmly.
The decision to grant Pool the first question signaled the Trump administration’s commitment to reshaping media access and challenging what they view as biased coverage from traditional outlets.
Legacy media fuming as outsider gets VIP treatment
The faces of veteran White House correspondents turned sour as Leavitt deliberately picked Pool before any of the establishment journalists who have covered the White House for decades.
These media elites were forced to sit and watch as their newest competition got the spotlight.
Pool didn’t waste his opportunity, immediately putting his fellow journalists on the defensive by highlighting what he described as their tendency to push false narratives in unison.
“Now in an effort from the White House to expand access to new companies, you’ve created this New Media seat, so I’m wondering if you can comment on — following this expansion, you’ve had numerous outlets disparage the companies that you’ve had sit here, as well as the reporters. I’m wondering if you can comment on that unprofessional behavior, as well as elaborate if there’s any plans to expand access to new companies,” Pool continued.
The unusual seating arrangement – with Pool occupying the newly designated “New Media” seat – visually reinforced the administration’s effort to disrupt traditional press dynamics.
White House doubles down on media shakeup plan
Leavitt defended the administration’s bold decision to create the “New Media” seat and made it clear that President Donald Trump isn’t backing down from his promise to break the legacy media’s stranglehold on information.
The exchange exposed the Trump team’s brilliant strategy to bypass what they see as hostile media gatekeepers and reach Americans through channels they actually trust.
Pool’s presence represents just the latest move in Trump’s all-out effort to transform how the White House communicates with the American people.
The administration has made it clear they believe traditional media outlets have lost credibility with many Americans and that new voices deserve a platform.
Pool emerges as new watchdog over biased media
Tuesday’s confrontation positions Tim Pool as the new sheriff in town when it comes to keeping mainstream media honest.
Pool has built a massive following through his no-nonsense podcast and commentary, regularly exposing what he sees as the blatant bias and false reporting by major news organizations.
His question about the “Maryland Man hoax” specifically called out how certain outlets have been downplaying an alleged criminal’s MS-13 gang ties by using innocent-sounding geographic descriptions.
“Now in an effort from the White House to expand access to new companies, you’ve created this New Media seat, so I’m wondering if you can comment on — following this expansion, you’ve had numerous outlets disparage the companies that you’ve had sit here, as well as the reporters. I’m wondering if you can comment on that unprofessional behavior, as well as elaborate if there’s any plans to expand access to new companies,” Pool continued.
President Donald Trump’s contentious relationship with the press has been a defining feature of both his first and second administrations.
The decision to elevate voices like Pool’s shows a more sophisticated approach to media management in his second term, focusing not just on criticizing mainstream outlets but actively promoting alternatives.
Tim Pool, in the new media seat of the White House press briefing, asked a solid question about legacy media disparaging new media journalists.
Press Secretary Leavitt came down hard on MSM for promoting lies, like the “Maryland dad” hoax.
Love Leavitt!pic.twitter.com/2aqcxWkqWA
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) April 22, 2025
By creating the “New Media” seat and allowing figures like Pool to confront traditional journalists directly, the administration is bringing longstanding grievances about media bias into the formal structures of the White House press operation.
For Trump supporters who have long complained about unfair coverage, seeing a figure like Pool challenge the press corps from within the briefing room represents a significant victory.
Whether this approach will lead to substantive changes in how politics is covered remains to be seen, but Tuesday’s briefing made it clear that business as usual in the White House press room is over.
