In the current election cycle, the growing bond between former President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has caught significant attention. One of the key shifts attributed to Musk’s influence on Trump’s campaign is his increasing focus on bypassing traditional media outlets. Instead of engaging with mainstream news, Trump has turned to podcasts and directly communicates with supporters via X, the social media platform Musk owns.
This shift was further highlighted by comments from Donald Trump Jr. on Tuesday, which sparked speculation about the potential for major changes to media access at the White House. During an interview with The Daily Wire, Trump Jr. revealed that his father, along with Musk, had discussed the idea of limiting traditional media’s access to the White House. “We were talking about the podcast world, and about independent journalists, guys like Joe Rogan, who have bigger audiences and more influence than mainstream outlets,” Trump Jr. shared. He went on to suggest that Trump may be considering opening up the White House press room to journalists with large followings, instead of those from well-established outlets like The New York Times.
The discussion of banning mainstream media from the White House isn’t entirely new for Trump, who has long criticized traditional media as “fake news.” He has even made controversial remarks about the media in the past, such as a comment made during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he sarcastically alluded to a shooter targeting the media. Trump Jr.’s recent comments, however, have added fuel to the fire, suggesting that such changes could soon become a reality.
