They’re losing power and influence and don’t know how to respond yet. Sweeping changes are coming to the White House press briefings and elsewhere, including the Pentagon. The legacy media outlets can only roll their eyes and smirk as the alternative ecosystems that are in the process of overthrowing them are getting seats at the table. John Ashbrook of the Ruthless podcast was allowed to ask White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt a question yesterday.
Over 10,000 applications have been received by the Trump White House to sit in on the briefings. When you lie to the American people and are outright dishonest, like the establishment press, someone is going to take your place. Also, we don’t care if you roll your eyes at us—I assure you that we hate you more. Politico has this to say about the move (via Playbook):
“It’s the way of the future.” @JohnAshbrook reflects on being the first podcaster to ask a question during a White House press briefing. pic.twitter.com/nmLxdrFRmW
— Ruthless Podcast (@RuthlessPodcast) January 31, 2025
White House press secretary KAROLINE LEAVITT gave her second press briefing Friday, in which she announced forthcoming 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada, updates on the “new media” initiative, and again, railed against “fake news.” The tariffs, which the president is slated to announce on Saturday, come from complaints that the two neighboring countries are allowing illegal migrants and fentanyl into the U.S., as well as concerns over trade deficits between the countries.
The Dow Jones fell more than 250 points following her announcement.
In the “new media” seat — the row of chairs reserved in prior administrations for members of the White House press shop — was JOHN ASHBROOK from the conservative “Ruthless” podcast. Leavitt called the podcast “one of the most influential podcasts in America,” describing it as providing political news “with a humorous touch.”
Leavitt also announced that the White House has received more than 10,000 applications from non-traditional influencers and journalists vying to sit in the “new media” seat. “We may have to make this room a little bit bigger,” Leavitt said.
Politico, The New York Times, NPR, and NBC will be rotated at the Pentagon briefings to make room for OANN, the New York Post, Breitbart, and the Huffington Post.
The Pentagon has informed its resident press corps that NBC, NYT, NPR, and Politico will “rotate out of the building” to give space to New York Post, Breitbart, OANN, and HuffPost.
— Haley Britzky (@halbritz) February 1, 2025
NBC, who has an entire booth w/ cameras etc. pic.twitter.com/OC4H3xyGdj
HuffPost does not have a Pentagon correspondent. This is DOD just trying to screw Politico https://t.co/BhNF1p6yz5
— Sam Stein (@samstein) February 1, 2025
Screw ‘em. That’s all I have to say. With Jim Acosta leaving CNN, everyone can get a whipping or several.
Congratulations to the far right @RuthlessPodcast !!
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) January 31, 2025
Solid reporting from The @politico https://t.co/uDlhB7lfcE pic.twitter.com/Ak0Uq49Z2s
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