White House closes 'Upper Press' section of West Wing to reporters
The White House began requiring reporters to make appointments before entering the 'Upper Press' area of the West Wing, home to the press secretary's and senior press aides' offices, citing a need to protect sensitive material after accusing reporters of secretly recording conversations there.123
- Country
- United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)
- Where
- United States
- Level of government
- National
- Tactic
- Access bans
- Stage
- Restrict (see the ladder)
- Head of government at the time
- Donald Trump
- Issue of the day
- The White House said it acted after concluding that reporters had secretly recorded video and audio inside West Wing press offices and entered restricted areas, though it did not identify the reporters or recordings involved.
- Outcome
- Sustained. The restricted access to Upper Press remained in effect; the WHCA's objection did not lead to a reversal in the source reviewed.
- Era
- The 2020s
What happened
On October 31, 2025, the White House announced that the 'Upper Press' section of the West Wing, which houses the offices of the press secretary and senior press aides, would require reporters to have a prior appointment before entering, while the 'Lower Press' office next to the briefing room remained open. A White House memorandum said the change would ensure adherence to best practices for access to sensitive material. Communications Director Steven Cheung said reporters had surreptitiously recorded video and audio in West Wing offices, entered restricted areas and listened in on private meetings. White House Correspondents' Association president Weijia Jiang said the new restrictions would hinder the press corps' ability to question officials and hold the government accountable.123
What reason was given
The White House said the policy would "ensure adherence to best practices pertaining to access to sensitive material," and Communications Director Steven Cheung said reporters had recorded video and audio without permission and entered restricted areas.12
What changed for reporting
Reporters lost the informal, walk-in access to senior press aides' offices that had allowed them to ask quick follow-up questions and observe the press operation at close range, a practice long used to gather information outside formal briefings.3
Timeline
2025
Who acted
| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
|---|---|---|
| Donald Trump | other | President of the United States |
| Karoline Leavitt | enforced | White House Press Secretary |
| Steven Cheung | announced | White House Communications Director |
| White House Press Office | enforced | Office of the White House Press Secretary |
Sources
Claims cited
- A White House memo said the new access rule would ensure best practices for handling sensitive material.
This policy will ensure adherence to best practices pertaining to access to sensitive material.
White House restricts reporter access to press secretary, staff's offices, U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, 2025-10-31. Claim 389, checked 2026-09-22. - Communications Director Steven Cheung said reporters had secretly recorded and entered restricted areas of the West Wing.
surreptitiously recorded video and audio of the West Wing offices, entered restricted areas and eavesdropped on private meetings.
White House restricts reporter access to press secretary, staff's offices, U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, 2025-10-31. Claim 390, checked 2026-09-22. - The WHCA president said the new restrictions would hinder reporters' ability to question officials and hold government accountable.
The new restrictions hinder the press corps' ability to question officials, ensure transparency, and hold the government accountable
White House restricts reporter access to press secretary, staff's offices, U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, 2025-10-31. Claim 391, checked 2026-09-22.